54 



The Microscope. 



with the specimen seen. As this Rotiferm seems to be rather rare 

 in England, and I have never heard of it having been observed before 

 in this country (and Dr. Kellicott writes me to the same effect), it 

 occurred to me that perhaps the readers of The Miceoscope would be 

 interested in the accompanying cut and description (somewhat 

 abbreviated), taken from the work above referred to. 



(.Reduced from Hudson & Gosse.) 



GENUS ACTINUKUS. EHRENBERG. 



Gen : Ch : Whole animal excessively long and slender ; eyes, 

 two, frontal; teeth, two, converging. 



There is little but its extreme length and tenuity to distinguish 

 this genus from Rotifer, but these characteristics preclude mistaking 

 it for any species of Rotifer, as soon as seen. Even in contraction, 

 the trunk is not sensibly thickened, never swelling in the middle as 

 it does in other genera of the family. 



ACTINUEUS NEPTUNIUS. — EHRENBEKG. 



Sp: Ch: Frontal column short, eyes near its base; corona 

 small; trunk, long, slender, cylindrical; foot protrusible to twice the 

 length of trunk; spurs small, two-jointed; toes, very long, recurved. 



From its extreme length and tenuity, the appearance of the 

 creature is very remarkable, and may be likened to a cylindrical 

 tube, out of which protrude a great number of draw-tubes from both 

 extremities, principally the posterior one. The head is peculiar 

 when viewed laterally; ovate in form; frontal column very short; eyes, 



