OP ANIMALCULES. 155 



Monoculus quadricomis (see Microscopic Cabinet, Plate 9): 

 the bell is of a globular form, several of them being chis- 

 tered together with one common stem : this is sometimes 

 wanting, in which case the cluster swims about, and re- 

 sembles the Vohox socialis, but is larger. 



366. VoRTicELLA canaliculatu. — I have not seen this 

 animalcule ; it is described by Adams as appearing to 

 the naked eye like so many white specks adhering to the 

 sides of glass vessels containing stagnant water ; the an- 

 terior part, with the rotatory cilia, is smallest ; there is 

 an incision in the side, and it is notched at its posterior 

 extremity. 



367. VoRTicELLA versatUis, (Ophri/diujn, E.) — This 

 Vorticella is capable of elongating itself, or contracting 

 into a bell-shaped body. Adams calls it a minute water 

 hedgehog, from the cilia which surround it ; it is of a 

 beautiful green colour, paler and more transparent to- 

 wards the edges, and its interior consists of a granulated 

 mass of matter, or small round vesicles, (see Book III.) 

 Dr. Wagner states, of this remarkable animalcule, that he 

 never could induce it to feed on colouring matter. He 

 says, also, that they are very numerous towards the end of 

 October, congregating together, and forming large gela- 

 tinous balls an inch and a half in diameter : they are best 

 adapted for microscopic observations, however, when 

 about l-120th of an inch*. 



368. Vorticella foUicidata — A gelatinous, cylindrical 



* Edinburgh Phil. Journal, vol, xiii. p. 251. 



