ROTIFERA. 



391 



ROTIFERA : 1 and 2, BracJiionus Urceolaris ; 3, Stepkanocerus 

 Eicliornii. 



goblet, or rummer, with, the foot broken off ; what 

 we may call the stem of the goblet is a flexible 

 tail, varying in length, and usually terminated by 

 a pair of moveable forceps, by which the animal 

 fastens itself to the stalks of aquatic plants, &c. 

 The edge of the shell, or mouth, is often cut into 

 teeth, or wavy processes. The animal, when at 

 rest, is drawn within the shell ; but, when active, 

 the fore parts are, as it were, turned inside out, and 

 so protrude from the shell, exhibiting a simple ori- 

 fice, which is the mouth, leading down to a singular 

 gizzard, where the food is bruised before it passes 

 into the true stomach. On each side of the mouth 

 are placed the curious wheels, from which the ani- 

 mals are named. In most cases they are two in 



