86 GENERAL HISTORY OF 



opposite lower angle are three small, irregularis^ formed, kidney-shaped 

 bodies, connected with an angular lobe or muscle IjTJig beneath them. 

 The male is also fui'nished with the delicate membranous plicated 

 bag, and rudiments of the curled tubular structure foimd in the 

 female." 



Besides determining the dioecious character of this Rotatoria, 

 Mr. Brightwell was also enabled to repeatedly verify the occurrence 

 of an actual coitus occurring between the sexes, and enduring the 

 greater part of a minute. 



"We append, to this account of the male, some further particulars, 

 derived from Mr. Gosse's paper. On the Asj)lanchna prtodo}ifa (Ann. 

 Nat. Hist. 1850.) "The principal muscles agreed with those of the 

 female. The tortuous threads and their plexuses (Section XXII.) 

 were represented by two thickened glandular bodies, extending from 

 the head mass to the foliaceous substance suaTounding the sperm 

 bag .... The three eyes were present, situated as in the female, 

 but no trace of jaws was discernible, even on pressure, nor any crop, 

 nor true stomach. These animals were very active, swimming 

 rapidly about, and scarcely stiU an instant. On one or two occa- 

 sions, I observed one of the males, with a slender process, protruded 

 a considerable length from the sexual orifice, and adhering to the 

 glass by its tip; moving round on it as on a pivot." 



Mr. Gosse had the good fortime to witness the development of the 

 males from the ovum. He writes : "I saw the developing young in 

 a pregnant female, that seemed diiferent from the ordinary embryos; 

 and in hope that this might be a male, I isolated the parent; " and 

 Mr. Gosse, at length, had the satisfaction of seeing two males bom 

 from this female, of similar outline to the latter, but instead of being 

 1-48 — 1-42 of an inch, were only 1-110 of an inch. 



Section XXV. — Of the Affinities and Classification of the Rota- 

 toria. — That the Eotatorial Animalcules, by their high degree of 

 organization, should be elevated in the animal scale far above the 

 Polygastrica, and that they cannot be rightly comprehended with the 

 latter under the general appellation of Infusoria, is now generally 

 admitted, although, as hereafter stated, resemblances do exist. The 

 particular affinities of the Rotatoria have not been generally agi'eed 

 upon, hence, these animals have bee^ differently placed by different v 



