282 The Upper Elf Loch, Braids. [Sess. 



The cilio-tlagellate class is represented by the familiar Peri- 

 dinium (two species) and by Gymnodinium. All of these 

 are figured and described in Saville Kent's ' Manual of the 

 Infusoria.' 



Proceeding to the second division of the animal kingdom, 

 the Metazoa, the presence of the common hydra (Hydra 

 viridis), belonging to the Ccelenterata, may be noted. It 

 seems to be fairly abundant. But several members of the 

 Annulosa are all well represented. Hair-worms, blood-worms, 

 round-worms, and flat-worms are numerous ; and the horse- 

 leech (Hwmopsis sanguisuga) is also common. The most 

 interesting members of this group, however — at least, to the 

 microscopist — are the Eotifera. These are both varied and 

 abundant, a few being rare forms, and it is expected that Mr 

 Hood will be able to add to the list when gatherings to be 

 procured in the coming summer are sent him. Those he has 

 already identified were taken in early spring, which is not the 

 best season for collecting them. 



Messrs Hudson and Gosse, in their monumental work, 

 ' The Eotifera, or Wheel-Animalcules,' divide the Eotifera into 

 four orders — 1st, Rhizota, the rooted, because the adult forms are 

 fixed ; 2nd, Bdelloida, the leech-like, swimming and also creep- 

 ing ; 3rd, Plo'ima, the sea-worthy, swimming only ; and 4th, 

 Scirtopoda, the skippers, swimming and also skipping. The 

 last order is a very small one, containing but one family, with 

 two genera, and each genus with but one known species. 

 This order is not represented in the Upper Elf Loch, so far 

 as at present learnt, but the other orders are all well in evi- 

 dence. The third order, that of " the sea- worthy," is here by 

 far the largest, having as many as fourteen species present, 

 representing nearly as many genera, and this number will 

 no doubt yet be increased. Some forms, as Synclueta tremula, 

 were very numerous ; the rare Copeus caudatus was represented 

 by a few examples, as well as the handsome Euchlanis lyra of 

 Hudson. The second order — the " leech-like " — had three 

 species of the genus Philodina, as well as the common Eotifer 

 (Rotifer vulgaris), which was abundant. The first order — the 

 " rooted " — had two representatives, — the pretty Horned 

 Floscule (Floscidaria cornuta), and another Floscule to be 

 particularised presently. All these rotifers are figured and 



