34 



ON THE ANIMALCUL.E OCCURRING IN A DROP OF WATER. 



In Kolpodea, the twentieth family, the very ciuious Amphileptus fasciola 



was observed. Its singu- 

 V~v^ "" ^ '~'~~~^~^ lar leech-like appearance 



and motion are sure to 

 attract notice. 



The last family of this gi'oup, of which an individual was seen, was Oxytrichina, 

 the twenty-first; of this one specimen of Stylonychia lanceolata was recorded; 

 making altogether of the Polygastnca, at least fourteen species, belonging to twelve 

 genera, distributed among eight families, of the twenty-two into which this 

 class is divided. There were several others whose movements were too quick 

 to allow a drawing to be made, and which, consequently, have not been recorded. 

 We now come to the Second Class, the Rotatoria, or Wheel Animalculae. 

 These creatures, as I before observed, are much more highly organized than 

 those we have just been considering; but, of course, there are various gradations 

 in the complexity of their organization, as there was in the Polygastrica, and 

 we will commence, in this case also, with the consideration of those which 

 are lowest in the, scale of nature. 



The number of species of this class, observed in the Askham bog water, 

 was, as might be expected, not very numerous; representatives, however, were 

 present of four out of the eight families into which the Botatona are divided. 



The first family, Icthydina, appeared in 

 the person of Chcetonotus larusi This 

 curious creature is unprovided with eyes, 

 and swims by means of the cilia set 

 round its body. 



The next family, of which an individual (probably Floscularia ornata,) was 

 observed, was the very beavftiful and interesting one of Floscidaria. Its long 



Floscularia. 



Salpiiia mucronata. 



