71 THE EOTIFERA. 



was about , ] „ iiic-h long ; but, owing doubtless to its lias-ing just been batched, the skin 

 was so granular and corrugated that I could not make out its whole structure. The 

 nervous ganglion, sperm-sac {ss}, and penis {jj), were plainly %'isible, and I could 

 sec the motion of the spermatozoa, though not the Ludividual spermatozoa themselves : 

 neither could I make out the muscles nor the water vascular system. I did not see 

 this creature hatclied ; still, as there were no other Botifera present but J/, riugens and 

 21. tijro, it was certainly the male of one or the other. 



The Kotiferon, I have little doubt, is Ehrenberg's Tubicolaria Naias. lie formed 

 the genus to receive a Melicertan that was destitute of eyes at all periods of its life, 

 and lived in a gelatinous tube. But Ehrenberg points out that he has not seen the 

 young, and that therefore the absence of eyes cannot be depended upon as a charac- 

 teristic. His other characters of the genus are, a four-lobed corona, two antenna}, and 

 a gelatinous tube. Of these, the latter alone is peculiar to Tubicolaria, and as it is not 

 sudicient to found a genus on, I have placed the animal among the Melicertce.^ 



Length. Adults from about ;;\j to [',; inch ; the maximum size given is that of Scotch 

 specimens. Habitat. Ponds and ditches, Birmingham (C.T.H.) ; Chartham, Kent (_Col. 

 Horsley) ; Forfar (J-H.) ; Pioading (Tatem) : rare. 



M. Jaxus, Iliuhon. 



[in. Ml. fig. 1.) 



CtJcistcs Janus .... Hudson, /. iioj/. i^/^cr. &'oc\ 2 Scr. vol. i. 1881, ji. 1, pi. i. 



Upper lobes deeplij dividL'il, lower nearly confluent ; dorsal gap minute; artennae 

 short; chia lico-jwintad ; Tpsllets /cecal. 



This remarkable Botiferon is one of those creatures whose form is as irritating to 

 the classifier as it is delightful to the naturalist. For it possesses in almost equal pro- 

 portions the characteristics of two genera, viz. oi Mcliccrta and of CEcwies, and might, 

 with nearly equal propriety, be placed in either genus. It was found first by Mr. J. 

 Ilood in Loch Lundie in 1880, and was most numerous, and in best condition, on W'eeds 

 at a depth varying from six to ten feet. 



\Vhcn seen fi-om the ventral surface, so tliat the lower lobes are partly hidden by its 

 tube, no one would suppose it other than a Melicerta; but when it turns and exliibits its 

 dorsal surface, it is seen that the lower portion of the corona resembles that of GiJcistcs, 

 for, instead of there being a wide dorsal gap in the ciliary wreath, there is scarcely any 

 at all (PI. VII. fig. 1) ; and the subdivision of tlio lower portion of the corona is so 

 slight that the outline of its two lobes is almost confluent : m fact, it might almost be 

 said that this is a three-lobed Melicertan. As in CEcistes, thickenings (fig. Id) cross 

 the corona, which itself is so thin that it becomes nearly invisible mider .dark-field 

 illumiiuition, while the thicker portions stand out distinctly, especially when seen side- 

 wise (fig. lb). When the animal begins to open its corona, these portions are thrust 

 forward in a squarish and very characteristic bundle, the thinner parts of the disk Ijing 

 folded neatly between them. In this respect M. Janus closely resembles CEcistes 

 lunbclla. 



The cilia of the corona are unusually largo, while the groove that lies between the 

 principal and secondary wreaths is broad and deep. Should the larger cilia be checked 

 by contact with the side of the cell in which the animal is placed, it is easy to count 

 them, and their whip-like action becomes plainly visible. Individual cilia may now and 

 then be seen even in the secondary wreath. 



The chin (fig. lb, ch) is also peculiar. It terminates, not in one point, but in two 



' It must be admitted that Ehrenberg's figure is very unlike mine. The eorona is barely tlio width 

 of the body, and the antennip arc very short ; but 1 think that both diik and antenna; arc intended to 

 be represented in a contracted slate. 



