HiLGENDORF. — Oil Neiv Zealand Rotifera. 121 



reduced, and the right side of the split ramus is also reduced 

 in size. The stomach is plainly marked off from the rest of 

 the alimentary canal, is of large size, and situated rather on 

 the right side of the body. The intestine passes backwards 

 and opens into the cloaca, just anterior to the joint between 

 the foot and the body. No foot-glands w^ere observed, though 

 doubtless they occur, since the Rotifer frequently anchors itself 

 by the extremity of its style. The small red eye-spot is 

 situated well within the anterior border of the lorica. When 

 the head is retracted the trophi move back into the middle 

 of the body, and the eye moves back too, as if it were fastened 

 to the muscles surrounding the mascax. The eye is situated 

 deep down in the body ; it is concave on its anterior face, as 

 if it were the posterior border of a transparent globule, which 

 is probably a refractive lens. I was able to make out no more 

 of the internal organs, owing to the unusual opacity of this 

 Rotifer. 



The movements of M. rectocaudatus are swdft and erratic. 

 It seems at times to go into a dormant condition, and does not 

 move for hours. It usually swims on its side, but sometimes 

 its back is presented to the observer. The head is then 

 almost hidden, owing to its downward flexure. Tlie head is 

 often retracted wholly within the body ; then the median 

 anterior cleft in the lorica is very clearly seen, and the mastax 

 moves back into the middle of the body. When the Rotifer 

 anchors by its style it waves itself about at the foot-joint, just 

 as M. flectocaudatus does. 



Hah. The small pool, and another one near it. 



Family Dinocharid^. 

 Genus Dinocharis, Ehrenberg. 

 Generic characteristics : Lorica vase-shaped, dense, pitted, 

 facetted, and with projecting plates, or armed dorsally with 

 spines. Head retractile within a chitinous cap. Eye single, 

 apparently attached to the mastax. Foot and toes very long, 

 the former bearing spines. 



VIII. Dinocharis inornata, sp. nov. Plate IX., fig. viii. 



Specific characters : Lorica neither facetted nor armed 

 with dorsal spines, but pitted. There are no transverse ridges, 

 but the lorica is smooth. The cap covering the head and 

 the chitinous covering of the foot are not pitted, although the 

 latter bears spines. 



The only specimen of this species had about one-third of 

 the way back in its body a large black blotch, which was 

 probably due to some food-matter. There were also some 

 brown cells, probably in connection with the stomach. The 

 general colour of the body was the lightest grey, just re- 



