200 THE NATURALIST. 



■water, and a few sprigs of star-weed, {Callitriche,) about which there was 

 a good deal of Conferva growing. I never like passing a place without 

 trying what it is worth. On reaching home I placed a fragment of the 

 star-weed under my microscope, in order to ascertain whether I had 

 anything more than common ; and almost the first object that struck my eye 

 was a Floscule. What species was it ? At first sight it was difficult to 

 tell, for the timid creature was safely ensconced at the bottom of its case. 

 Was it F. campanulata ? I could not reconcile it with previously examined 

 specimens, for the case was completely covered with extraneous matter ; 

 and, moreover, the creature had half-a-dozen, or more, eggs at her foot, a 

 number rarely, if ever, seen in F. campanulata. What then ? Was it 

 ornata? No: it was larger than I should imagine ornata to be. Presently 

 it began to venture forth, and I had the prospect of an early solution of 

 the question. I caught sight of something like an antennal process, when 

 my gratification was momentarily checked by the appearance of a water- 

 flea, which came down upon my favourite with a rush, and sent it once 

 more to the bottom of its dwelling. There was something about it 

 difi'erent from what I had seen in the other species. Could it be cornuta f 

 I waited its reappearance with some little anxiety. *' Order having been 

 restored," it made a second attempt to unfold its lovely flower, and this 

 time without interruption. Slowly the setse, which were of unusual length, 

 separated, and were thrown out in a most charming manner ; and the high 

 dorsal lobe was seen to be furnished with a waved finger-like process, — a 

 decisive indication that it was F. cornuta, and nothing else. I considered 

 this a good catch. On farther examination I found that the star- weed, 

 and other small plants, were swarming with these beautiful creatures ; 

 and I made a visit to the same pond the next day for a sujpply for my 

 aquarium. Upon a single leaf of Lenma minor I counted upwards of a dozen 

 individuals. 



This species, as well as campanulata, was first described by Dr. Dobie 

 in 1849, in the " Annals of Natural History." The Micrographical Dic- 

 tionary speaks of both as " doubtfully distinct ;" but, Mr. Gosse says, with- 

 out reason, for having repeatedly met with both, he can vouch for the 

 accuracy of Dr. Dobie's descriptions and figures, and for the permanence 

 of the species. F. cornuta was elaborately described by Leydig, in 1854, 

 as if new, under the name of F. appendiculata, and Mr. Gosse himself 

 described it in manuscript in 1850, before he was aware of Dr. Dobie's 

 memoir. 



