78 Marvels of Pond-Life. 



ponds, and on examination yielded a specimen of a 

 tube- dwelling rotifer, the (Ecistes crystallinus, which, 

 although less beautiful than the Floscules or the 

 Melicerta, is, nevertheless, a pretty and interesting 

 object. In this instance a little rough dirty tube, about 

 1 — 70" long, was observed to contain an animal capable 

 of rising up and expanding a round mouth garnished 

 with a wreath of cilia ; while a little below, the inde- 

 fatigable and characteristic gizzard of the tribe was in 

 full play. A power of two hundred and forty linear 

 sufficed to afford a good view, and it was seen that a 

 long, irregular, conical body was supported upon a short 

 wrinkled stalk. The usual drawings represent this 

 creature with a short bell-shaped body upon a very long 

 slender pedicle. Possibly this one might have been able 

 to show himself under this guise, but he did not attempt 

 it ; his appearance being always pretty much as de- 

 scribed, which made the foot shorter and the body 

 longer than the measurements which naturalists have 

 given, and according to which the whole creature is 

 1—36" long, although the body is only 1—140''. The 

 tube of the (Ecistes is called a ^' lorica,^^ or carapace ; 

 but it has in truth no right whatever to the appel- 

 lation. 



Another strange rotifer, of whose name I am un- 

 certain, had an ovalish oblong body, and a pair of legs 

 like compasses, twice as long as himself. His antics 

 were those of a posture-master, or " Professor of De- 

 portment " on stilts. Sometimes he stood bolt upright, 

 bringing his legs close together; then they were jauntily 

 crossed, and the body carried horizontally; then the 



