NOTOMMATAD AS. 55 
lip is retracted, close against each other, as in Dinocharis. The median line of the dorsum 
makes a sharp roof-like angle, especially at the lumbar part, but does not rise to a ridge. 
Eyes are sometimes clear and distinct, one on each side of the mastax, wide apart, 
highly refractile, very pale red, but well defined ; but in some specimens they are quite 
invisible. The trophi consist of an incus, with rami broad and circularly forcipate, on 
which work slender bowed mallet (fig. 1b). The mastax is often retracted below the 
middle of the body; then the animal will suddenly elongate, and the mastax will be 
driven forward and backward, rapidly and far, the rami snapping fiercely. This snap- 
ping snatching action is very observable. Sometimes the mastax is, fully half or more, 
protruded from the front, and this again and again in rapid succession, the jaws giving 
a short snap at each time. It is incessantly restless, sudden and rapid in its contrac- 
tions and turnings, yet not very locomotive, remaining long anchored to the glass by the 
toe-tips, swaying to and fro, much like a Monostyla, often stretching the toes apart. 
I owe my acquaintance with this interesting form to Mr. John Hood, of Dundee, 
who, lately, at my request, searched for marine Rotifera. He presently sent me con- 
tributions of sea-water, from the estuary of the Tay, in which I found many species. 
Among the stems of a conferva this new Distemma was pushing and snatching. 
It seems tenacious of life. The individual first observed lived in a live-box, con- 
taining a thin pellicle of water, for parts of three days, during which other Rotifera, its 
associates, had one by one succumbed. Perhaps from hunger, this specimen roamed 
incessantly through the clear water, snapping at every atom, now and then seizing a 
small diatom, and drawing it into the buccal funnel, to reject it instantly. The jaws 
were protruded and retracted every moment with lightning-like rapidity. Now and then 
a tiny cloud of floccose would be dragged in and chewed eagerly, then forcibly ejected. 
The force and energy displayed by so small an atom was remarkable. The sight seems 
to have a very small range. This one seized and devoured many Monads and evén 
large Protozoa ; but it seemed to have no power of discerning them till they were close 
to its head; then the action was prompt enough. 
The highest expression of animal life that I have observed among Rotifera is this 
little obscure Distemma. As a fowl picks up minute atoms of food from the earth and 
pebbles and rubbish with which it is mingled, showing sight, observation, discrimination, 
selection, will, so does this Distemma manifestly snap up its food-atoms, often invisible 
to our eyes, selecting them! with rapid precision from other surrounding atoms. The 
jaws are thrust out and withdrawn, as I have said, with a quickness which we cannot 
follow, and with stroke succeeding stroke, quite as rapidly as a hen’s beak picks its 
morsels, and evidently takes something at each. The way in which it pounces upon 
animacules that we can discern, and the energetic vigour with which it seizes them, are 
admirable, and quite unparalleled among Rotifera, so far as my experience goes; and 
there is hardly a species described in this work that has not come under my observa- 
tion. If we could descend to his level, and form a personal acquaintance with him, I am 
sure we should find this Distemma a person of great decision of character.—P.H.G.]. 
Length, (as in figs 1, 1a) ;45 inch. Habitat. Tay-mouth: tide-pools (J.H.). 
D. conninsil, Gosse, sp. nov. 
(Pl. XVIII. fig. 13.) 
(SP. CH. Body cylindric, long ; head large; foot stout; toes two, furcate, long, 
slender, unnotched, acute. Lacustrine. 
This species is known to me only by a drawing in Dr. Collins’s Note-book. It is re- 
presented with a long body, a head of increased diameter, a stout foot, and two toes, 
' “The power of choice is the distinctive peculiarity of a mental being.”’ ‘All activities that are 
indicative of choice [except reflex actions] are indicative of consciousness. Whereyer we see a living 
organism apparently exerting intentional choice, we may infer that it is conscious choice; and there- 
fore that the organism has a mind.’’— Romanes, Ment. Evol. in Anim. pp. 47, 17. 
