WATER BEARS. 2S 



no organs can be discerned, up to others that are 

 highly-developed, like our Vorticelloe. This group 

 is evidently provisional, and jumbles together objects 

 that may be widely separated when their true 

 structure and real affinities are discerned. 



Following the Protozoa^ come the Botifera^ or 

 Wheel-bearers, of which we have obtained an ex- 

 ample from our pond, and whose characteristics we 

 shall endeavour to delineate when our specimen is 

 under view ; and last in the list we have the Tar- 

 digrada^ ''Slow-steppers," or Water Bears, queer 

 little creatures, something like new-born puppies, 

 with a double allowance of imperfect feet. These, 

 though somewhat connected Avith the rotifers, are 

 considered to belong to the spider tribe. 



Feeling that we must be mercifid with the long- 

 tailed words and explanations of classification, we 

 reserve further matter of this kind for the oppor- 

 tunities that must arise, and direct our attention to 

 living forms by watching the Euglence which our 

 water-drop contains. We have before us a number 

 of elegant spindle-shaped bodies, somewhat thicker 

 in front than behind, and in what may be called 

 the head there glitters a brilliant red speck, com- 

 monly called an eye-sjM^ although, like the eyes of 

 potatoes, it cannot see. Eound this eye-spot the 

 tissues are clear, like glass; but the body of the 

 creature is of a rich vegetable green, which shines 



