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V. — Floscularia Cyclops: a New Species. 



By Charles Cubitt, F.E.M.S. 



{Taken as read before the Royal Microscopical Society.) 



Plate XCIII. 



I HAVE lately found associated with F. coronetta another and a 

 larger floscule than that elegant species, and it is impossible to 

 apply the specific title of any known floscule to this particular form, 

 for while the disk resembles somewhat that of F. ornata, this new 

 species differs essentially from that in many important details, 

 which will be clearly seen and appreciated on comparing it with 

 F. ornata, by referring to Plate XCIII., Figs. 1 and 2, which figures 

 have been drawn to the same scale and placed in juxtaposition for 

 the purpose of conveying a clear perception of their respective 

 forms and proportions ; and in preparing these I have assumed the 

 altitude of F. ornata to be jV^^? ^ length they frequently though 

 not constantly attain, due no doubt to different localities and habits, 

 for in some places they never exceed eV^h, or just half the size shown 

 by Fig. 2. 



The first point which must strike the observer is the extraordinary 

 height of the animal, and while the size of the whole form greatly 

 exceeds that of F. ornata, there is a striking resemblance between 

 the disks of these two species ; but while the disk of F. Cyclops is 

 proportionately larger, the so-called dorsal lobe is considerably 

 smaller than that of F. ornata, and the investing case is increased 

 in a still greater degree than the occupant itself. The case is very 

 distinct, and is seen to be palpably invaginated by every retraction 

 of the occupant, especially after acts of evacuation, when portions of 

 the voided matter remain clinging to the sides of the case within the 

 invaginated portion, and are not dispersed throughout the hyaline 

 medium which fills the integument. 



I do not consider it necessary to enter into a more detailed 

 account of this particular form, which is essentially of the same 

 organization as the other members, but I desire to claim the pri- 

 vilege of identifying it in this record by a specific title, and, in con- 

 sequence of its great bulk, have selected that of Cyclops ; and how- 

 ever this may be objected to, on a first consideration, in the generally 

 accepted notion of the possession of a single eye by the Gods in 

 question (for there were three of them), this traditionary assumption 

 of a single eye is erroneous ; these three brothers adopted the custom 

 of wearing small bucklers of steel wherewith to cover their faces, 

 and these bucklers had one small opening in the centre, and only 

 so far corresponded with a single eye ; and Hke the brothers Arges, 

 Brontes, and Steropes, our valiant Cyclops has two eyes. 



