ROTIFER. 165 



in the water ; and small particles of food are 

 brought within reach of the mouth, and swal- 

 lowed rapidly, to be ground up by the powerful 

 jaws placed below. There are two red eyes, 

 and a long process, which is considered as the 

 respiratory tube; these form what may be 

 termed the head, and they can all be with- 

 drawn at pleasure. The mode of progression is 

 by swimming rapidly, with the wheels expanded, 

 and body and tail stretched out, or. when moving 

 on weeds, &c., by using first the head and then 

 the tail, so as to form a kind of step; when 

 feeding, it attaches itself by the tail, and, ex- 

 panding its wheels, seems to be happily and 

 busily employed. It is an amusing sight to 

 watch the current thus made, particularly if a 



