358 Royal Society : — 



distinguish it by the term mastax. It is a trilobate muscular sac, 

 with Avails varying much in thickness, receiving at the anterior ex- 

 tremity the buccal funnel, and on the dorsal side giving exit to the 

 oesophagus. 



Within this sac are placed two geniculate organs (the mallei), 

 and a third on which they work (the incus). Each malleus consists 

 of two parts (the manubrium and the uncus), united by a hinge-joint. 

 The manubrium is a piece of irregular form, consisting of carince of 

 solid matter, enclosing three areas, which are filled with a more 

 membranous substance. The uncus consists of several slender 

 pieces, more or less parallel, arranged like the teeth of a comb, or 

 like the fingers of a hand. 



'Ilie incus consists of two rami, which are articulated by a com- 

 mon base to the extremity of a thin rod (the fulcrmyi), in such away 

 that they can open and close by proper muscles. The fingers of 

 each uncus rest upon the corresponding ratnus, to which they are 

 attached by an elastic ligament. The mallei are moved to and fro 

 by distinct muscles, which the author describes in detail ; and by 

 the action of these they approach and recede alternately ,■ the rami 

 opening and shutting simultaneously, with a movement derived 

 partly from the action of the mallei, and partly from their own 

 proper muscles. 



All these organs have great solidity and density ; and, from the 

 action of certain menstrua upon them, appear Jto be of calcareous 

 origin. 



The writer proceeds to describe the accessory organs. The 

 ciliated disc has an infundibuliform centre, which commonly merges 

 into a tube before it enters the mastax. The particles of food that 

 float in the water, or swimming animalcules, are whirled by the 

 cihary vortex into this tube ; and, being carried into the mastax, are 

 lodged upon the rami, between the two unci. These conjointly work 

 upon the food, which passes on towards the tips of the rami, and 

 enter the (esophagus, which opens immediately beneath them. 



From this normal condition, the author traces the manducatory 

 organs through various modifications, in the genera Euchlanis, 

 Notommata uurita. N. clavulata, Anurcea, N. petromyzon, N. lacinulata, 

 Furcularia, N. gibba, Synchceta, Polyarthra, Diylena, Eosphora, Al- 

 bertia, F. marina, Asplanchna,Mastigocerca, Monocerca, and Scaridium. 

 Some of these display peculiarities and aberrations highly curious. 

 Notwithstanding the anomalies and variations which occur, however, 

 the same tj-pe of structure is seen in all ; and the modifications in 

 general may be considered as successive degenerations of the mallei, 

 and augmentations of the incus. 



The form of the manducatory organs, which occurs in Triarthra, 

 Pompholyx, Pterodina, (Ecistes, Limnias, Melicerta, Conochilus, Me- 

 galotrocha, Lacinularia, and Tubicolaria, is next examined. The 

 organs are shown to be essentially the same as in the former type, 

 but somewhat disguised by the excessive dilatation of the mallei, 

 and bv the soldering of the unci and the rami together, into two 

 masses, each of which approaches in figure to the quadrant of a 

 sphere. 



