BOTIFERfi. 461 



pedicle. On mixing carmine with the water, the course of 

 the ciliary current is readily traced, and forms a fine 

 spectacle. The particles are hurled round the margin of 

 the disc, until they pass off in front through the great 

 sinus, between the larger petals. If the pigment be abun- 

 dant, the cloudy torrent for the most part rushes off, and 

 prevents our seeing what takes place ; but if the atoms be 

 few, we see them swiftly glide along the facial surface, fol- 

 lowing the irregularities of outline with beautiful precision, 

 dash round the projecting chin like a fleet of boats doubling 

 a bold headland, and lodge themselves, one after another, 

 in the little cup-like receptacle beneath. Mr. Gosse, be- 

 lieving that the pellets of the case might be prepared in 

 the cup-like receptacle, watched the animal, and presently 

 had the satisfaction of seeing it bend its head forward, as 

 anticipated, and after a second or two raise it again ; the 

 little cup having in the meantime lost its contents. It 

 immediately began to fill again ; and when it was full, and 

 the contents were consolidated by rotation, aided probably 

 by the admixture of a salivary secretion, it was again bent 

 down to the margin of the case, and emptied of its pellet. 

 This process he saw repeated many times in succession, 

 until a goodly array of dark-red pellets were laid upon the 

 yellowish-brown ones, but very irregularly. After a certain 

 number were deposited in one part, the animal would 

 suddenly turn itself round in its case, and deposit some 

 in another part. It took from two and a half to three and 

 a half minutes to make and deposit a pellet. , 



Melicerta may be found in clear ponds, niill-ponds, and 

 other places through which a current of water gently 

 flows. It a portion of water-weed be brought home and 

 placed in a small glass zoophyte-trough, and carefully exa- 

 mined with a magnifying power of about fifty diameters, 

 a fe*v delicate looking projections of a reddish brown 

 colour will probably be seen adhering to the plant ; these 

 are the tubular cases of melicerta, which, after a short 

 period of rest, will throw out little animals of one-twelfth 

 of an inch in length. 1 



(1) For further information, see Gosae, Trans. Micros. Soc. voL iii 1852, 

 p. 58 ; Slack's Marvels of Pond Life, 1861 ; and Pritchard's History of Infusoria. 

 4th Edition, 186L 



