THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 47 



EXCURSION TO MARIBYRNONG. 



Some of the members attending the geological excursion to 

 Maribyrnong determined to have two strings to their bows, and 

 were rewarded for their forethouglit by securing some very 

 interesting microscopic material upon the reeds growing in the 

 Saltwater River. The fact that almost all the living forms 

 observed difter from those obtained in the pools usually visited 

 shows tiie advisability of the pond-life excursionists visiting new 

 localities whenever possible. A very interesting Acincta was found 

 in remarkable abundance upon the Alga with which the reeds 

 were covered in places. It belongs to the suctorial order of the 

 Tentaculifera of S. Kent, and agrees fairly well with the species 

 described by that authority as A. lemnariim. The animal fills 

 the lorica, which is borne upon a stalk about one and a half to 

 twice the length of the lorica itself. About 15 to 20 capitate 

 tentacles are protruded from the anterior corners of the roughly 

 triangular lorica. The nucleus is ovate or spherical, and is 

 situated near the centre of the animal. The length of tiie lorica 

 is about the -^\q of an inch, or with stalk included about -o(\o of 

 an inch. Another Protozoon met with by the writer for the first 

 time was a Cothurnia, agreeing very well with C. imberbis oi Kent. 

 This animal differs from the Vaginicolai, which are often found 

 in the ponds near Melbourne, in the manner in which it is 

 connected to the supporting medium. The Vaginicolse are 

 sessile, but in the case of Cothurnia the lorica is borne upon a 

 well-defined stalk, which is yi the length of the lorica. Like 

 Vaginicola, Cothurnia belongs to the family Vorticellida;, sub- 

 family Vaginicolina. The lorica in the species under notice is 

 vase-shaped, and about jJxr of ^ri inch long, and half or a little 

 If ss than that in diameter. The animal is attached to the bottom 

 of the lorica, and when fully extended projects somewhat beyond 

 the ariterior end of its protecting tube. It has a well-defined 

 pharynx. The nucleus is ribbon-like. Some clusters of Vorticella 

 which were considered to belong to the genus Zoothamniura were 

 noted. This form differs most radically from the Carchesium 

 usually found in the ponds in the muscle by which the stalks are 

 retracted being connected with the primary one contained in the 

 peduncle supporting the cluster. In Carchesium the muscle of 

 each zooid is disconnected from the others. Some interesting 

 Diatoms were also noted, one growing in long filaments being 

 especially worthy of note. — W. Stickland. 



Victorian Plants. — The herbarium of Victorian plants, 

 especially from the Gramjoians, collected by the late D. Sullivan, 

 F.L.S., of Moyston, is offered for private sale. Application 

 should be made to Mrs. D. Sullivan, Moyston, Victoria. 



