4 Transactions. — Zoology. 



huxleyi, Amphileptus anser, Metopus sigmoides, in our former 

 paper, or Monas irregularis, Codosiga botrytis, etc., in the present 

 one. There are certainly minute points of difference in such as 

 these which might tempt some observers to raise them, if not 

 to specific, at least to " variety," rank. But, in truth, there is 

 very often no absolute stability even in the same individuals 

 amongst the Infusoria ; and we have thought it best to avoid 

 to the utmost any more cumbering of scientific classification and 

 nomenclature than was absolutely necessary. The couple of 

 dozen animalcules herein set down as new species are considered 

 to be sufficiently deserving of the distinction. 



But Professor Stokes's statement as to the New Jersey 

 Infusoria, compared with what has just been said, raises a 

 question as to the reason for the identities observed between 

 the New Zealand and the European forms. It may be remarked 

 that similar identities appear to be noticeable also amongst the 

 freshwater Algas, as several of our Desinidieae and Diatomaceae 

 are found at both sides of the globe, and many others present 

 differences so trifling as to be unimportant. That specific 

 similarity should be so rare as Professor Stokes declares it 

 between two countries in the same hemisphere, as New Jersey 

 and France or England, and so frequent in two so nearly anti- 

 podal as England and New Zealand, is not a little curious ; 

 and it becomes still more so if, as seems to be the case, the 

 differences in the " higher" zoological and botanical orders and 

 families are in a reverse ratio. The " higher" American fauna 

 and flora approximate to the European much more than the 

 New Zealand fauna and flora do. It is, therefore, not quite clear 

 why the microscopical forms of animal and vegetable life should 

 not follow the same lines. The answer might, possibly, be 

 found in an extension of research, leading to comparisons 

 between countries of about the same latitude and climate. Yet 

 New Jersey, France, and New Zealand, are not, in these 

 respects, very differently situated. 



Catalogue op Infusoria. 



( 'lass I. FLAGELLATA. 



Order. Flagellata-Pantostomata. 



Genus Monas. 



Monas irregularis, Perty. Wellington, Hutt Valley, Wainui, 

 Karori. 



Monas claviculns, sp. nov. Plate I., fig. 1, a, b. 



Body elongate, rounded and broad anteriorly, tapering to a 

 point posteriorly, plastic and variable in form, nearly five times 

 longer than broad when extended ; surface punctate except at 



