NOTES ON SOME FREE-SWIMMING ROTIFERS. 17/7/ 
purifying of the blood. This is a sight once seen never to be 
forgotten, and is well calculated to arouse our admiration as we 
behold the harmonious working of this physiological machinery. 
NOTES ON SOME FREE-SWIMMING ROTIFERS. 
By J. E. Lorp. 
N looking over my note book, I find that only one or two 
Rotifers remain, about the classification of which there can be 
any doubt; and unfortunately, the notes and sketches of these are 
even more imperfect than those I have already given in the Micros- 
copical News. Fig. 25a, however, is a sketch of a Rotifer, which 
is particularly interesting on several accounts, and I am able to give 
more information about this form than the remainder ; but even in 
this case, a most important point requires to be cleared up. The 
following is the best description I am able to furnish :—Lorica, 
hyaline, depressed, oval, excised in front, rounded posteriorly ; 
ventral plate smaller than dorsal, being cut away at the sides pos- 
teriorly ; foot, long, cylindrical, jointed ; toes as long as foot, only 
slightly tapering; Eyes, in adult none; two eyes when young ; 
Rotatory organ—(from my sketch I should imagine this to be of 
the Brachionean type, but the lateral lobes representing the two 
wheels, are not very clearly indicated; will supply the omission 
on first opportunity). | Water-vascular canal, but no vibratile tags ; 
eggs large, attached to Confervee by a protecting cover. The eyes 
in the embryo are red, and very distinct, but were absent in all the 
adult specimens I saw. The eggs I often came across, attached to 
threads of Confervee, by what I at first took for bands, but which, 
on more careful inspection, proved to be complete coverings, the 
material being, I presume, chitine, from its toughness and colour, 
which was brown. On July 16th of last year, I had the pleasure 
of seeing one hatch out. Noticing a very strong ciliary movement, 
I watched it particularly ; the head was first free, and then after a 
struggle the whole Rotifer emerged. For some time afterwards, it 
was all of a tremble, and during the whole of the process, the cilia 
were actively in motion. It was very diaphanous, and the mastax 
was well displayed. Fig. 25a, dorsal view of Rotifer ; 4, anterior, 
dorsal portion of Lorica; ¢, Posterior ventral portion; ¢, Eggs 
with protecting cover. Another large loricated Rotifer I am unable 
to make out, bears on its dorsal aspect, a considerable resemblance 
to Brachionus, being only a little less than that well-known animal. 
It is, however, not depressed anteriorly in a wedge-shaped manner, 
