28 THE ROTIFERA. 
Genus COPEUS, Gosse. 
[GEN. CH. Usually of large size, ventricose behind the middle, furnished with 
organs of sense’ in the lumbar regions ; brain usually threefold ; body tailed. 
The type of this natural group is, as already observed, Notommata copeus, of Prof. 
Ehrenberg, which I propose to honour with his own name, Copeus Ehrenbergu. As I 
have myself found several other species closely allied to this, yet quite distinct, in a very 
brief period, and in one locality, it is probable that future research may considerably 
augment their number. 
The feature which peculiarly marks the genus is the existence of organs, doubtless of 
some unknown sense, not only in the vicinity of the great brain (where their presence 
is quite normal), but in the lumbar region of the trunk, far from the brain, where it seems 
strange to find them, and where the form and conditions of the surrounding parts 
seem to preclude their advantageous exercise. This, however, is but the expression of 
our ignorance. 
In many cases there is some extraordinary development of the ciliary system, in the 
shape of wide expansions of the face, or remarkable forms of the auricles, lately 
described ; and sometimes the tail takes unusual shape and size. The skin, in several 
cases, has the power of secreting a dense mucus, insoluble in water, so as to constitute 
a thick coherent mantle for the animal, in which extraneous matters are entangled; and 
the production and retention of this seem to be subject to the animal’s will. 
It is perhaps in harmony with this specialty of sense-development that the brain itself 
is generally of great size, and of complex form ; for there is often, in addition to the central 
sac, which is sometimes pyriform with a tubular stalk, a secondary sac on each side. 
The species are for the most part of large dimensions, heavy and unwieldy in motion, 
and vegetable feeders.—P.H.G.] 
C. LABIATUS, Gosse, sp. nov. 
(Pl. XVI. fig. 1.) 
Notommata centrura .« : c Leydig, Ueb. d. Bau d. Réderth. p. 33. Taf. iii. fig. 21. 
[SP. CH. Lumbar regions furnished on each side with a stout seta (apparently 
single) projecting horizontally ; tail pointed; chin projected into a long, horizontal, 
channelled, ciliated process, very versatile ; brain threefold. 
This noble species I at first thought to be the N. copews of Khrenberg. Yet the 
dissimilar structure of the head presently showed that it is quite distinct. There is no 
trace of the great lateral telegraph-like arms which project from the head in C. Hhren- 
bergii; what answer to the auricles being small ciliate channels, bent-over at their ends, 
into which the front is produced on each side. These cilia are continued along the frontal 
margin: while from the lower part of the face projects horizontally forward a very 
moveable lip in the form of a great fold of transparent flesh, of which the two sides, 
sloping outward, make a channel as long as the width of the head, deep at the base, but 
coming to a point, its edges, which fold over toward the hollow (see fig. 1a), being frmged 
with locomotive cilia. From the occiput projects, pointing outward and forward, a stout 
antenna, of outline swelling to about seven-eighths of its height, then diminishing with 
an angle, to a truncate end, whence issues a brush of divergent sete, evidently connected 
by internal nerve-threads with the brain beneath. The ciliation of the face reaches far 
below the lip on the ventral surface. The longitudinal muscles are very numerous and 
conspicuous. Immediately behind the front is a row of (at least) fowr oval translucent 
masses, which may be compared with the globose masses in the head of Hydatina 
1 An account of these ‘‘ sense-organs,’’ ‘‘antenne,”’ or ‘“ tentacles,’’ in the whole Class, will be given 
at the end of Part VI.—C.T.H. 
2 Dr. Leydig, who (loc. cit.) has well described and figured this species, assumes that it is the 
N. centrura of Ehrenberg. But so practised an observer could not have overlooked the great lip, if 
labiatus had indeed been before him. 
