292 FRESHWATER LIFE INFUSORIA. 



There is a family of Infusoria closely allied to the Vorticellae in 

 their form and habits, but distinguished by the absence of a stalk and 

 by the possession of a roomy sheath resembling a veiy thin transparent 

 vase, into which the animal can withdraw itself by a general contraction 

 of the whole body. The two kinds with which I am acquainted are 

 Vaginicola and Cothurnia. The sheath of the former is sessile ; that of 

 the latter is supported on a short stem. They multiply by self-division. 

 Hence they frequently occur in pairs, each pair occupying a common 

 vase. From the vase the twins protrude their ciliated crests by a 

 simultaneous impulse, and after feeding awhile suddenly close up and 

 shi-ink to the bottom of their cell. The retreat, however, is only 

 momentary. Immediately they begin to rise again slowly and steadily, 

 until they once more stretch forth to fish for prey. A contractile vesicle 

 is situated not far from the mouth. The sheath of Cothurnia may be 

 yellow, brown, or rusty red. I have seen Vaginicola sailing about, case 

 and all, attached to a fragment of weed. Both kinds continue active 

 through the winter. 



[to be continued.] 



HOW WE FOUND THE MICEOZOA IN THE BOULDER CLAYS 

 OF CHESHIRE, &c., AND WHAT WERE THE RESULTS. 



BY W. SHONE, ESQ., F.G.S. 



During the early part of the year 1873 I had frequently washed the 

 boulder clay of Chester for Foraminifera without success, until in 

 September of that year my friend, Mr. J. B. Manning, (Governor of 

 Chester Castle,) found in the upper boulder clay of Newton-by-Chester 

 a boulder bored by SaxicaiKi rugosa, in the cavities of which fragments 

 of the shells remained. Wishing to possess these fragments, he proceeded 

 to wash them out ; but in doing so observed that the holes were not 

 filled with the red clay in which the boulder was found, but with sand. 

 Mr. Manning shortly afterwards showed me this sand, and as I was 

 aware that the bore holes of recent Saxicava) fi'equently contained sand 

 full of Microzoa, which fills the space once occupied by the flesh of the 

 Mollusc, I suggested we should go to our mutual friend, Mr. J. D. 

 Siddall of Chester, and examine it. We did so, and, on iilacing the sand 

 beneath the microscope, were rewarded T\ith the sight of several shells 

 of the Foraminifer — PohjstonieUa crisjya. Mr. Manning thereupon 

 remarked " if we are to succeed in finding Foraminifera in the boulder 

 clay we must look for stones with holes in them." I, at the time^ 

 thought this very hopeless, as out of the thousands of boulders I had 

 examined this was the first that I had seen with cavities in it. 



After parting with my friends that evening, it occurred to me that 

 the turbinated shells of TurritcUa terchra would offer a still more effec- 

 tive shelter to the Microzoa. These were very abundant in the boulder 

 clay of Chester, and I possessed a great number of them. 



