52 THE ROTIFERA. 
scribable shapes (of which fig. 8 may serve as an example), with various sharp folds and 
augles. Yet it may be said to have a characteristic form, which is sub-parallel-sided 
viewed dorsally ; but which, viewed laterally, is narrow for the anterior third, where it 
rises abruptly to nearly double the height. This is generally maintained to the end of 
the trunk, where it descends with even a sharper angle to give emission to a thick foot, 
carrying two long, straight, slender, acute toes. The front is unusually wide and 
truncate, viewed dorsally ; but laterally, it is seen to project into the usual fleshy hook, 
which is probably sensitive, and used to collect and test food. The ciliated face is 
almost prone; behind this is an ample mastax with jaws of the normal pincer-form. 
The viscera present nothing noteworthy. The whole animal is of crystalline clearness ; 
and is devoid of colour, so far as I have seen. The eyes, too, if eyes they are, are two 
colourless globules of considerable size and of somewhat irregular outline, placed wider 
apart than in Khrenberg’s figure, at the very front. ‘The toes are long, tapering regularly 
to produced acute points, but slender throughout and quite straight, whereby they differ 
from those of clastopis. They are frequently thrown forward suddenly to more than a 
right-angle. (See fig. 8 and Ehrenberg’s fig. 4.) The lumbar fold of skin is often strong 
and sharp ; but there is no projection really answering to a tail; and the specific name 
is a misnomer. [examined two specimens in September 1885, from water which had 
stood on my table about four weeks, originally from Woolston Pond.—P.H.G.] 
Length. About ;}, inch. Habitat. Woolston (P.H.G.); Sandhurst (Collins). 
D. PERMOLLIS, Gosse, sp. nov. 
(Pl. XIX. fig. 11.) 
[SP. CH. Body extremely soft and versatile in form, swollen in the middle, broad 
and truncate in front, tapering behind to a thick and long foot ; toes two furcate, slen- 
der, acute. 
I am conscious that the above is an unsatisfactory diagnosis of what I am sure is a 
distinct form. In a tube dipped from a fresh-water loch by Mr. Hood, containing a few 
leaves of milfoil thickly studded with Rhizota, I found a Notommatoid creature, cer- 
tainly new to me, and apparently undescribed. Its most salient character was its exces- 
sive softness, asif it had no skin at all, but were a lump of mere jelly, yet intensely active 
and restless, swelling and contracting, lengthening and shortening, twisting and infold- 
ing, without the slightest intermission, for more than two days while under observation. 
All this made it quite unlike any other Rotiferon I had ever met with. The slender 
toes, at the end of a rather large foot, are very mobile, ever thrown about to their ut- 
most, or suddenly brought point to point with a snap; in this specimen they had the 
remarkable peculiarity of what looked like a minute terminal joint, like a separate claw, 
which, however, was not apparent in other examples. The front is widely truncate, 
composed of many globose transparent cells; from the midst of which projects the usual 
soft triangular proboscis. The ciliated face below this is prone, whence frequently the 
trophi,—an incus with circularly forcipate rami, worked by long mallei,—are protruded 
with energetie snaps and snatches. Below the mastax is a vast alimentary canal, con- 
sisting of nucleate cells; an ovary of embryonic vesicles occupying the venter. I could 
not detect any eye-spots; but a rather short brain filled the occiput. 
I subsequently obtained other examples from the same quarter. In one was a large 
contractile vesicle which I saw discharged, but I could not time its period. The cor- 
ners of the front, when rotating, have almost the appearance of auricles.—P.H.G.] 
Length. About 3, inch. Habitat. A pool near Dundee (P.H.G.) 
D. ciastopis, Gosse, sp. nov. 
(Pl. XIX. fig. 5.) 
[SP. CH. Body cylindric, long, slender; front rounded, without visible hook ; foot 
long, slender, with two long decurved toes. 
