116 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



above the foot, we sometimes observe one or more eggs, attached 

 by threads so delicate that we have never yet made them out. 

 This fine Rotifer, when first placed on the glass, seems to become 

 very wild. Its mad rush through the water has already been 

 noticed. When this has ceased we often see the animal take 

 hold of the cover glass with its foot and dash itself from side to 

 side in a way that seems to threaten instant destruction. After a 

 while it calms down, becomes still, and often affords an excellent 

 opportunity for study. It is also very fearless, and remains quite 

 unconcerned when a commotion occurs in the water which 

 causes every other Rotifer to retreat into its house or close 

 itself up with the greatest celerity. Another species of Brachionus 

 occurs in our pond, probably B. urceolaris. One more very 

 transparent and pretty Rotifer that meets us now and then is, 

 we think, Metopidia solidus, of which an engraving is given ; its 

 lorica approaching a circle in form, decorated near the edge with 

 a ring of somewhat parallel lines, has been fancifully compared to 

 a coin, hence the specific name. 



Many smaller Rotifers yet remain, but must be passed over. 

 Among these is one of extremely acrobatic proclivities, which 

 spends most of its time in clambering and tumbling about the 

 threads of algae in a very comical way. It seems to be the 

 Colurus obtusus of Hudson and Gosse. 



A sufficient number have been noticed to prove that in the 

 convenient pond mentioned abundant material can be obtained, 

 without the slightest trouble, by anyone who wishes to pursue 

 the study of this class of animals. 



Of the last scene of all that ends the strange, eventful history 

 of the Rotifer's life we need not say much. We sometimes, 

 though seldom, see them fall victims while living. The dead 

 body of a big Rotifer, however, furnishes a rich banquet for the 

 smaller forms of life. Then is their hour of sweet revenge. So 

 well do they take advantage of it, and so rapidly multiply (in 

 such a case), that within one day we have seen a large Lacin- 

 ularia reduced to an empty skin, no vestige of any internal part 

 being left. It may be worth while to remark that we have 

 sometimes found large dead Rotifers overgrown with a minute 

 fungus, hyphse stretching out on all sides. Whether in such 

 cases the growth of the fungus has preceded or followed death 

 there is nothing to show. 



While we, seated at the microscope, have thus been studying 

 these tiny links in the chain of universal Being, old Time has not 

 been idle. A sensation of advancing chilliness warns us that the 

 hour is late ; midnight is long past ; the fire has died down in 

 the grate. We must perforce — not without reluctance — pack 

 away our instruments, return the weeds to their bottle, and say 

 " Good-night " to the " Rotifers of Melbourne." 



