OF THE ENCHELIA. 



605 



lippedprocess, capable of being retracted. I occurs on G 

 Is more rare than L. Ampulla, but, like it, | animals. 



contnarus 



and other aquatic 



Genus LAGOTIA (Wright) (XXYin. 20-23 ; XXXI. 7, 8).— Sheath or 

 case retort-shaped, with a cyliiidiical neck, plain or annulated ; colourless, 

 yellowish, or dark green ; body long, cylindrical, attached by its posterior 

 end to the bottom of the case, terminated anteriorly by a forked (furcate) 

 head, or two long, flattened ciliated processes, between wliich is the opening 

 of the oral cavity, which extends backward into the body as a tapering 

 oesophagus, cihated on its free surface. The green colour of the body in 

 L. viridis is not due to dispersed globules, but to a staining of the sarcode 

 itself. Longitudinal fission has not been seen ; but development by a free 

 ciliated embryo, very unlike the parent, has been observed in L. ^roducta. 



Lagotia viridis (xxviii. 20-23). — I L. atro-purpurea. — Colour of animal 

 Case resembles a flask or amphora l}ing i that of a mixture of ink and water. Cell 

 on its side, ha\'ing the neck bent more | yellowish-brown. Probably a variet}' in 

 or less sharply upwards, and dilated into colour of L. viridis, with which it was 



a trumpet-shaped mouth. Its colour is 

 dark sea-green, in the larger specimens 

 nearly opake. Animalcule green, cylin- 

 drical; its ciliated organ, when seen in 

 fi-ont and erect (f. 23), appears like a 

 narrow horseshoe ; whilst from the side 

 (f. 21) the anterior extremity of the ani- 

 malcule bears a resemblance to the head 

 and ears of a hare — a likeness increased 

 by the waggii 



iing movements of the long 

 n yoimg specimens the lobes 

 of the furcate process are blunt and 



the cilia are aiTanged, is placed at a little 

 distance from their margin (f. 20), instead 

 of being close to it (f. 22 j. Plentifid on 

 marine shells and Algae, Firth of Forth 

 and T}Tiemouth. Embryonic develop- 

 ment has been detected by Dr. Wright 

 in this species. 



L. hyaliniL — Colourless ; lobes of cili- 

 ated organ wider and blunter than those 

 of i. viridis ; cell buried in the substance 

 of the shell oi Alcyonidium hirsutum, and 

 therefore not seen. Granton and Queens- 

 ferrv. 



found. 



L. producta (xxxi. 7-13) (Dr. Wright 

 in lit). — Neck of sheath exceedingly pro- 

 longed, annulated ; sheath of a pale yel- 

 low-bro\^^l colour. Animalcide (zooid) 

 two or three times the length of the 

 sheath, attenuated ; ciliated lobes erect, 

 divergent, and recurved at tips ; colour 

 of zooid deep blackish green. 



Dr. Wright observed the development 

 in this species of ciliated embryos,- which, 

 after passing through the stages seen in 

 figs. 9 and 11 (xxxi.), and carrpng on 

 an active existence as free ciliated ani- 

 malcules, form an attachment to some 

 surface and proceed to develope a sheath 

 and the characteristic ciliary lobes. The 

 transformation from ciliated embryos to 

 Lagotice transpired in the course of a 

 night, — the sheath even, dm-ing that 

 time, being completed with its rings. The 

 above fact constitutes an interesting ad- 

 dition to the illustrations of embryonic 

 development among Ciliata, quoted in 

 the section on that subject (p. 353). 



FAMILY Y.— EXCHELIA. 



Animalcules having a distinct alimentary canal, with an oral and an anal 

 orifice at the opposite ends of the body ; without lorica. Locomotion eflected 

 by vibratile cilia in all the genera except three, viz. Actinophrys, Tricho- 

 discus, -dnd Podojyhry a, in which it is performed by slow-moving feelers (ten- 

 tacles). In all but these exceptional genera, organs of nutrition have been 

 demonstrated by the employment of coloured food ; but only in one has the 

 entire course of an alimentary canal been traced, though in most its transit 

 through the body is indicated by its discharge through the posterior outlet. 

 Ehrenberg states that the polygastric structiu-e is to be seen in all the genera 

 except the Arabian genus Disoma. A nucleus and vesicle are generally present. 

 Complete self- division, both longitudinal and transverse, has been observed ; 

 but not gemmation. The most curious animalcules among them are the 

 double-bodied Disoma and the teeth-bearing Prorodon. 



