SALPINAD.E. 79 



D. HOODII, Gosse, sp. nov. 

 (PL XXII. fig. 15.) 



[SP. CH. Body gibbous and ventricose behind ; dorsal cleft narrow, parallel-sided ; 

 eye cervical ; toes rather short, blade-shaped, acute, decurved, one-fifth of total length. 



This little species comes near to D. valga, but is considerably larger, and more swollen 

 in the posterior half of the body, whether viewed dorsally or laterally. The toes afford 

 the most obvious discrimination between them. In both, each toe is a segment of a 

 circle : in valga it is a slender rod of about equal thickness throughout its length, which is 

 nearly equal to that of the lorica. In Hoodii it is shaped in one aspect like a carving- 

 knife, in another like the half of the moon when three days old. As I have observed the 

 forms of the toes in Eotifera generally to be very constant, I am disposed to rely much 

 on them in specific diagnosis. 



Only one individual occurred ; and of this my observations were imperfect. I found 

 it hi the pale floccose alga, which invests aquatic plants near Dundee. In memory 

 of this origin I honour the little Diaschiza with my respected correspondent's name. 

 A few weeks after this, I was so fortunate as to find another example, in water sent me 

 by Mr. Bolton, from Blackroot Pond, near Birmingham. In the former specimen I had 

 not perceived any eye ; but in this it was very conspicuous, of large size, and of some- 

 what pale rose-red hue, though brilliant, resembling D. pata in colour, but in a less 

 marked degree. It is cervical, occupying the extremity of an ample brain. P.H.G.] 



Length. Not measured, but about one and a half that of D. valga. Habitat. Loch 

 near Dundee ; pool near Birmingham (P.H.G.) : rare. 



D. P^TA, Gosse, sp. nov. 

 (PI. XXII. fig. 11.) 



[SP. CH. Body thick, tvidest in front ; lorica with the dorsal cleft very narrow, its 

 edges parallel and ridged ; eye cervical, very large, pale ; toes blade-like, recurved. 



In June 1885, soon after I had discovered D. valga, a little water was sent me by 

 Miss Saunders, from Woolston, in which were a good many specimens of that species, 

 some much smaller than I have described. In the same water, however, I found one 

 much larger, which proved a second species of the same genus. Again was I deceived 

 into the supposition that I was dealing with a Notommata, or a Furcularia, such as 

 F. gibba, till I caught sight of the cleft down the back ; and particularly, when, as the 

 creature turned, I for a moment saw it from behind, and looked up along the furrow. 



The lorica seems again to be a mere carapace, reaching no more than half-way down 

 the sides, and cleft in a straight line along the back. It has an elevated ridge through- 

 out ; so that the cleft forms a furrow between the low walls ; and these are much closer 

 together than in D. valga, so that the furrow is very narrow. The dorsal posterior 

 terminations do not run off into curved points, but make nearly right-angles. I judge 

 the lorica to be very thin and flexible. The toes are slender, pointed blades, somewhat 

 recurved, often carried parallel when the animal glides forward. The mastax is large, 

 and seems formed quite on the pattern seen in Furcularia. Behind this is an ample 

 brain, carrying at its sacculate extremity a very large globose eye, of extremely pale, 

 transparent, carneous hue ; this species differing thus from the former, in the position, 

 size, and colour of the eye, itself a well-marked and conspicuous distinction. The 

 digestive canal is divided into stomach and intestine, both which are large and saccu- 

 late ; and there is a contractile vesicle. The forepart of the abdominal viscera was, in 

 this example, delicately tinged of a salmon-colour. At the cloaca, as if a minute portion 

 of the intestine, there was protruded a little clear globose vesicle ; perhaps accidental. 



This species is in manners restless and -recluse, seeking its food and shelter under 



