HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



i73 



of brilliant florets, for the attraction of those insects 

 which carry out the chief aim of their existence ; with 

 little in hand, they will spend that little in numerous 

 stamens which require only moderate expenditure, 

 taking care to make the pistils bright and attractive 

 as well. 



CHATS ABOUT ROTIFERS. 

 No. II. — Mastigocerca bicristata. 



ANEW Rotiferon belonging to the sub-order 

 Loricata. Family, Rattulida:. Genus, Masti- 

 gocerca, of which there are recorded (in the recently 



y^^M 



Fig. 87. — Mastigocerca btcris- Fig. 

 tata ; side view. 



!8. — Mastigocerca bicris- 

 tata; dorsal view. 



published work by Dr. Hudson and P. H. Gosse), 

 seven species. 



I found this one in a marsh pool on Tents Muir, 

 Fifeshire, May 1886, and again in July of the same 

 year in a similar habitat near Blairgowrie, Perthshire. 



The addition of this elegant creature brings up the 

 number of species belonging to the genus Mastigo- 

 cerca to eight. 



Although the M. bicristata is the last, it is by no 



means the least, either in size, grace, or beauty, as a 

 fully developed individual measures quite ? g of an 

 inch in length, from the head to the point of the toe. 

 Note the curves of its smooth lorica on the ventral 

 side, with a pair of corrugated dorsal crests rising with 

 gentle curve to the middle of the lorica, then sloping 

 with slight curve towards the foot for about seven- 

 eighths of the length of the lorica, the foot terminating 

 in a long slender toe, nearly as long as the whole 

 length of the body. Its possession of a bright 

 red eye, together with its transparency, renders the 

 creature a handsome object under a power of 60 

 to 100 diameters. 



Its corona is clothed with closely set vibratile 

 cilia ; the head is protruded but a short distance out 

 of the truncated mouth of the lorica ; the masticating 

 apparatus is enveloped in a long bag, containing a 

 pair of long slender jaws. The stomach is large, and 

 it is generally filled with a greenish (mixed with a 

 light brown) matter. 



M. bicristata is a rigid vegetarian, and is frequently 

 seen nibbling the end of a filament of Conferva. 

 The creature is constantly turning over and over. 

 In this happy position the observer is enabled to see 

 it from every point of view. Its food consists of 

 Conferva, Desmids, and even Diatoms. I intro- 

 duced, by a dipping tube, a drop of water con- 

 taining numbers of Protococcus phivialis into a small 

 zoophyte trough where a few of the M. cristata were 

 disporting themselves under the microscope. They 

 fell on the Protococcus and devoured them with 

 apparent relish. 



The contractile vesicle is conspicuous at the pos- 

 terior a short distance from the foot. Its pulsations 

 are one in every 13 seconds. The branchial vessels 

 and vibratile tags can be seen in the transparent 

 parts of M. cristata. 



It deposits its eggs (of an oblong form) amongst 

 conferva or vegetable debris. I have never met 

 with the male of this or any other of the species 

 Mastigocerca, 



Its motions when swimming are very graceful, 

 sometimes rolling on its own axis with the long toe 

 quite straight, as at «, Fig. 88. Habitat, marsh pools. 



John Hood, F.R.M.S. 



The Cuckoo. — In reply to F. Jas. George, the 

 variations in the note of the cuckoo are of common 

 occurrence, especially late in the season. I have also 

 frequently noticed a peculiar sound uttered by the 

 cuckoo, generally in its flight, resembling more a 

 hoarse, chuckling cough than anything else to which 

 I can compare it. I shall be glad to know if any one 

 can corroborate my statement, and inform me whether 

 it proceeds from the male or female bird ? [Cuckoos 

 have been unusually numerous in this neighbour- 

 hood this spring.] — IV. E. Windus, Bexkill, Sussex. 



