62 



Marvels of Pond-Life. 



always agree in the number of lobes assigned to tbe 

 ^' Beautiful Floscule/^ and although it is easy enough 

 to count them in some positions_, the observer may have 

 to exercise a good deal of patience before he is certain 

 whether they are five or six. For a long evening only 

 five could be discerned in the specimen now described, 

 but the next night six were apparent without difficulty 

 or doubt. The hairs also will not appear anything like 

 their true length or number, unless the object glass is 

 good, and great care is taken not to obscure them by a 

 blaze of ill-directed light. 



Cbsetonotus larus (swimming). 



After the Floscules had been sufficiently admired and 

 put aside, for observations to be repeated on future 

 occasions, a Rotifer attracted attention by his merry- 

 andrew pranks, throwing himself in all directions by 

 means of two long and extremely mobile toes attached 

 to his tail-foot. Then came a creature swimming like 

 an otter, thrusting his head about on all sides, and 

 looking much more intelligent than most of his compeers 

 of the pond. Looked at vertically, he was somewhat 



