OF THE ACTINOPHRTINA. 



563 



SO that the point of the tentacle is formed 

 of only a veiy small number. In other 

 examples, each rod, under a power of 800 

 diam., assumed a bearded structure. 



"The animal secretes beneath itself, 

 or from its base, a pedicle of diaphanous 

 and colourless substance, which increases 

 in length and breadth with the increasing 

 growth of the animal, until it assumes 

 the form of a glassy club, on the thick 

 upper extremity of which the animal 

 is seated. The whole of the pedicle 

 is covered by a growth of scattered 

 hairs; but it may be doubted whether 

 these have any organic connexion with 

 it, and whether they do not belong to 

 one of those minute classes of Algae the 

 structure of which eludes microscopic 

 research. A longitudinal fibrous struc- 

 ture is faintly seen in the axis of the 

 pedicle, but it gradually disappears to- 



wards the periphery. After immersion 

 in spirit, this fibrous structure becomes 

 much more apparent. The action of the 

 spirit also causes a fine membrane to 

 separate from the surface of the pedicle, 

 which appears to be continued down- 

 wards from the body of the animal, and 

 is probably analogous to the membrane 

 which I have already shown to exist as 

 a lining and covering to the cell of Va- 

 ginicola valvata, and which secretes and 

 hides within itself the valve that closes 

 the cell of that curious animal " {^Edin. 

 New Phil Journ. 1858, p. 7). 



This species was twice seen by Dr. 

 Wrig'ht, " each time in large colonies, 

 situated within the mouth of shells in- 

 habited by the hermit-crab, where the 

 dense white bodies of the animalcules, 

 seated on their transparent pedicles, form 

 sufficiently remarkable objects." 



Genus ZOOTEIREA (Wright) (XXXI. 14-15).— Body furnished with 

 numeroiLS contractile acuminate rays (tentacula) ; elevated on a contractile 

 pedicle. Rays becoming thickened towards the point when not fully ex- 

 tended, but not capitate. 



ZooTErREA religata (xxxi. 14-15). — 

 The body of the animalcule, when con- 

 tracted, consists of densely granular sar- 

 code smTounded by a layer of more 

 transparent substance. This external 

 coat is capable of being prolonged into 

 innumerable exceedingly attenuated ten- 

 tacles or rays, from eight to ten diameters 

 of the body in length, and resembling in 

 structm^e those QiEpJielota apicidosa. The 

 animalcule is elevated on a lono- contrac- 



continuous with the external coat of the 

 body. 1 have several times seen this 

 animal, always in colonies. When seen 

 by oblique illumination, it has a very 

 striking appearance. The light reflected 

 from tlie rays has the appearance of two 

 cones issuing on opposite sides of the body, 

 and rotating in opposite directions with 

 every movement of the lamp. Found on 

 shells dredged from deep water in the 

 Firth of Forth. 



tile pedicle, which appears also to be I 



We are indebted to Dr. Strethill Wright of Edinburgh for the knowledge 

 of this genus and species. Dr. Wright was so kind as to transmit the 

 account to us in manuscript, together with notes on Ephelota, the characters 

 of the folloTvdng pecuhar genus Corethria, and those of several additional 

 Infusoria. 



Genus CORETHRIA (Wright) (XXXI. 5, 6).— The history of this genus is 

 thus described (in Uteris) by its discoverer, in the details of the structure of the 

 only species yet found, viz. : — " Coy^etliriaSertularice consists of a body, or oblong 

 cushion-hke mass of granular sarcode, furnished with a long club-shaped 

 appendage, which bears at its summit a thick bnish of tentacles. The body 

 is generally homogeneous, although occasonally one or two large cells are 

 seen within it. The mop-like appendage is seen to contain two structures, 

 both without granules. The interior or medullary portion is a transparent 

 and structureless cylinder, arising from a slight depression in the body of the 

 animal. The exterior structure, also transparent, is transversely wrinkled or 

 rugose. The tentacles are transparent, from eight to about forty in number, 

 and have occasionally a slight waving motion : they appear to arise from the 

 internal lamina or core of the mop. A second kind of appendage is frequently 

 found attached to the body of Corethria, in the form of a long spindle-shaped 



2o2 



