Botifera of Natal. By Hon. T. Kirkman. 265 



flat ventral side of the body forming the base. When swimming 

 in the water the humps are more or less retracted ; when crawling 

 on weeds or on the sides of the bottle they are more prominent, 

 but they shoot out quite rigid every time the creature contracts 

 its head. 



In size and bulk the new Cope its equals C. Ehrenbergi. It has 

 two prominent ciliated auricles, somewhat smaller than those of 

 the species just named, extruded when swimming, but otherwise 

 withdrawn. The ciliated face extends some distance on the ventral 

 side, but does not form a projecting lip. The integument above 

 the foot is ample, and forms there angular folds not unlike those of 

 Ehrenberg's Notommata collaris ; the foot is comparatively small, 

 and carries two short, tubular toes ; there is no tail. 



The stomach is spacious and usually lull of dark green food 

 material, and occupies the greater part of the dorsal hump. 



The lateral antennae consist of bundles of long seta 1 , protruding 

 from tubules on the dorsolateral sides of the lumbar region and 

 behind the humps. 



The head is distinctly marked off by a fold of the integument, 

 and in contraction is wholly withdrawn within this fold. 



The peculiar organ usually designated as " brain-sac " is three- 

 lobed ; the central lobe is very long, clear, and saccate at its termi- 

 nation, extending right down over the anterior part of the stomach ; 

 the two outer lobes are short, cylindrical, and granular. The large 

 red eye, which contains a spherical red lens, is situated on the 

 small real brain below the " brain-sac," and just in the angle 

 formed by the two outer lobes. 



The ovary is band-shaped and curved like a horseshoe. 



Two of the narrow r transverse muscular bands have their points 

 of attachment within the two lateral humps, and are also fixed in 

 the dorsal hump, so that their contraction draws in all three 

 humps simultaneously. 



On being placed in a bottle of water, its habit is to cling to 

 some piece of floating matter, and it is seen with difficulty or not at 

 all. When it swims, it is seen at once by its auricles being ex- 

 tended. It acts in quite a different way from C. spicatus, which on 

 being disturbed casts itself free from all matter, goes with the 

 currents, not swimming, trusting to its transparency for protection. 

 In one or two or more days after C. triangulatus has been placed in 

 a bottle, when the sediment has completely settled, it will be 

 noticed at once from its curious pointed lateral extensions, ap- 

 parently feeding just above the sediment, or crawling along the 

 sides of the bottle. 



The cilia round the mouth-part can only just be discerned 

 whilst in motion, when the animal is fully extended. This Copeus 

 appears to be more sluggish in its habits than any other species 

 that I have seen. I am sorry to say that I have not examined the 



