REPORT ON THE RADIOLARIA. clxxxv 



of Biological Science, that Ehrenberg, all his life the most zealous opponent of that 

 theory, published his great work on the Infusoria, and at the same time established the 

 "family of multicellular animalcules or Polycystina" (L. N. 16, p. 4). 



The " short systematic survey of the genera of cellular animalcules " given by 

 Ehrenberg in 1875 (L. N. 25, p. 157), is only a new edition, increased by sixteen genera, 

 of his first systematic arrangement of the Polycystina of 1847 (L. N. 4, p. 53). Since 

 I have already given a full discussion of this in my Monograph (L. N. 16, pp. 214-219), 

 I need only here remark that a correct understanding of his very inadequate generic 

 diagnoses is only possible by the aid of his figures. Relying upon these I have retained 

 almost all Ehrenberg's genera, although entirely new definitions of most of them have 

 been necessary. 



The same is true also of the two orders which Ehrenberg distinguished in his class 

 of " Zellenthierchen." The first order is constituted by his " Netzkorbchen " (Monodictya 

 or Nassellaria) formerly known as " Polycystina solitaria " ; they include our C y r- 

 t i d e a, the greater part of Hertwig's Monopylea. Ehrenberg's second order is the 

 " Schaumsternchen " (Polydictya or Spumellaria), previously called " Polycystina 

 composita " ; they include the Peripylea of Hertwig, as well as the Spyridina (our 

 Spyroidea), which belong properly to the Nassellaria. Although Ehrenberg's 

 statements regarding the organisation of both these orders were quite erroneous, and his 

 knowledge even of the structure of their shells very defective, I still thought it advisable 

 to retain his names for the groups, since they constituted his one successful eff"ort in the 

 systematic treatment of the Radiolaria (compare L. N. 41, p. 336). 



The sketch of a systematic arrangement of the Radiolaria (L. N. 37), which I 

 published in 1881 on the basis of the study of the Challenger Radiolaria, resembles, in 

 respect of seven orders being distinguished, the new system which R. Hertwig founded 

 in 1879, in consequence of the variations which he discovered in the structural relations 

 of the central capsule (L. N. 33, p. 133). It differs, however, inasmuch as his 

 Sphgerozoea (my Polycyttaria) are here divided into two orders, Symbelaria (Collo- 

 sphgerida) and SyncoUaria (Sp h se r ozo id a). In that sketch too I separated 

 for the first time the two subclasses Holotrypasta (Porulosa) and Merotrypasta 

 (Osculosa). The fifteen fixmilies established by Hertwig were then raised to twenty -four. 

 The six hundred and thirty genera, which I then distinguished, are still for the 

 most part retained, some, however, in a restricted sense, or with amended definitions. 



The differential characters of the orders and families of the Radiolaria, given in 

 the Prodromus in 1881, were amended in a further communication which I gave in 

 1883 regarding the orders of the Radiolaria (L. N. 46, p. 17). There I reduced the 

 seven orders to four, the structural relations of the central capsule being precisely 

 the same in the Polycyttaria and C oil od aria as in the Peripylea. The 

 survey of the affinities of the class was thus rendered much simpler and clearer, and the 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP. — PAKT XL. — 1887.) Rr ^O' 



