622 DESCRIPTION OF [Rotatoria. 



intestinal outlet, as above supposed, appears, from the careful 

 researches of Mr. Gosse, to be an error, (Trans. Micros. Soc, 

 vol. iii, part ii, 1851, p. 62.) That observer points out the existence 

 of a special rotating organ of a cup-like figure, seated immediately 

 above the projecting tube. (P. 23, fig. 1, the disc seen above, b.) 

 This organ be saw fill and empty itself " many times in succession, 

 until a goodly array of dark pellets were laid" down irregularly; 

 the animal efi"ecting their distribution by bending downward its 

 head, so as to bring this cup and the margin of its sheath into 

 apposition. " After a certain number were deposited in one part, 

 tlie animal would suddenly turn itself round in its case, and deposit 

 some in another part. It took from two and a half to three and a 

 half minutes to make and deposit a pellet " Coloured particles in 

 the water " are hurled round the margin of the ciliated disc, until 

 they pass off in front through the great sinus between the large 

 petals :" and the atoms, if few, " glide along the facial surface, 

 following the irregularities of the outline with great precision, dash 

 round the projecting chin, and lodge themselves one after another 

 in the little cup-like receptacle beneath," in which again they are 

 whorled round with great rapidity, and prepared into pellets for the 

 building up of the case of the animal. 



Genus Floscularta. — Thejiower-ivheel Animalcules possess (when 

 young at least) two eyes, and a rotatory organ, four or five (?) or 

 more lobed. These elegant animalcules have each a distinct gela- 

 tinous case, attached to water plants. They are often so very 

 diaphanous as to escape observation, unless the water is rendered 

 turbid with colour ; the rotatory organ is so very peculiar in struc- 

 ture that some observers do not consider it as such. The alimen- 

 tary canal is simple and conical (Coelogastrica), but is remarkable 

 as possessing a second ccsophageal bulb or head, the lower one 

 only having jaws and teeth; two pancreatic glands are present 

 anteriorly. The propagative system resembles that of Lacinularia. 

 The ova are deposited in the case; vessels unknown. The red 

 eyes indicate sensation. They somewhat resemble in appearance 

 Acineta. 



F. proboscifJea. — Case cylindrical, hyaline, gelatinous ; rotatory 

 organ six-lobcd, with short cilia surrounding a ciliated flexible 



