THE FLOSCULARIA. 59 



retreat and wholly conceal the body, when the water is 

 agitated ; as shewm in pi. iv, a. The rotator, which is 

 fringed with cilia, and divided into two lobes, presents 

 a highly interesting spectacle when fully expanded ; as 

 in pi. IV, b. The tube, or sheath, is at first clear and 

 transparent, but becomes of a yellowish brown colour ; 

 and is frequently coated with foreign matter, which 

 adheres to its viscid surface. In the young state the 

 Limnias has two eyes, that disappear with age. The 

 length of the sheath and body is from one-half to two- 

 thirds of a line, and therefore recognisable by the naked 

 eye. The jaws and teeth are of the type figured page 

 b6i fig. 1 ; but they cannot be seen in the example 

 before us, wliich is a remarkable cluster of several in- 

 dividuals of various ages. Four or five eggs are per- 

 ceptible within the tube of the largest animalcule, 

 (pi. IV, c c), , 



II. The Melicerta, or Honey Floscularia, (pi. v). — 

 This is a tubular animalcule, about two-thirds of a line 

 in length; it differs fromHhe Limnias, in having the 

 rotatory organ divided into four lobes, the two uppermost, 

 of which are the largest. The species before us is the 

 Beaded Melicerta, (3/. ringens\ so called from its 

 case being made up of little corpuscles, which give it a 

 granulated, or beaded character. Its body is liyaHne, 



