SALPINAD^E. 81 



D. TENUIOR, Gosse, sp. nov. 

 (PI. XXII. fig. 14.) 



[SP. CH. Body sub-cylindrical; dorsal cleft of lorica wide throughout; toes 

 thick, nearly straight, obtusely pointed. 



Here is a species which bears a relation to Furcularia gracilis, 1 similar to that 

 which D. semmperta bears to F. gibba. In September, 1885, while I was examining 

 water, sent me by the courtesy of Miss Davies from Woolston Pond, my attention was 

 arrested by first one and presently another, of what appeared indubitable F. gracilis. 

 Each was either half-concealed, as it burrowed in the floccose matter, or in swift motion 

 as it glided through the clear water ; so that, while I could recognize the form and 

 general character as accurately agreeing with drawings which I had carefully made of 

 that species, many years before (except that these were of rather stouter build), I could 

 get no opportunity of testing the condition of the back. Presently, however, I was so 

 fortunate as to catch sight of the integument of a dead specimen of the same, perfect in 

 form, but empty and transparent, the mastax in situ. By imparting currents to the water 

 in the live-box, while the object was under my eye, I could turn it into various positions ; 

 among others, one in which I could look along the line of the back. It was distinctly 

 double-ridged, and rather wide-cleft. The gap is of nearly uniform width from the 

 occipital edge of the lorica to the hinder edge just over the foot. I have said that the 

 form was stouter than of F. gracilis ; it appeared stouter now than in the two living 

 restless examples that had first attracted my attention. But I reflected that the dead 

 lorica would naturally be broader than in life, because, the tegumentary membrane of 

 the venter having been ruptured by decay, the elasticity of the dorsal shields would 

 naturally cause their lateral expansion. 



Circumstances prevented my further study of the two living specimens ; and I can 

 give no further information of the anatomy than what was to be learned from the dead 

 body. 2 The features, however, that were visible were, from the very stillness of death, 

 definable with precision. The toes, in particular, are diverse from those of any other 

 known species, being not sensibly recurved nor decurved, but straight, or nearly, not 

 blade-shaped, but round, rather thick, abruptly brought to a point. P.H.G.] 

 length. About T | n inch. Habitat. Woolston Pond ; Dundee (P.H.G.) : rare. 



Genus DIPLAX, Gosse. 

 (Ann. Nat. Hist. 2 Ser. vol. viii. Sept. 1851, p. 201.) 



[GEN. CH. As Salpina, ~but the eye is wanting, and the lorica is destitute of 

 spines in front and rear ; foot and toes long and slender. 



The two species of this genus I found both in the same water, Oldham's Pond, 

 Leamington, and both on one day, July 13, 1850. Of the first, only one specimen 

 occurred ; the second was numerous. With a single exception of the latter, I have never 

 again met with either. They both approach very close to Salpina, but the absence of 

 spines is notable, and the toes are proportionally more attenuate and* longer. The 

 head is seated in a flexible tube, cleft at the occiput, which is capable of entire involution 

 within the lorica. It seems an approach to the persistent neck-tube of Dinocharis, to 

 which genus the present is allied by the condyles of the foot, and by the length and 

 slenderness of the toes. P.H.G.] 



1 I strongly suspect that Herr Eckstein's delineation of F. gracilis (Sieb. u. Koll. 1883, pi. xxvi. fig. 

 43) has actually been drawn from a specimen of Diasch. tcnuior. 



2 Recently (March 1886) I have found it, in an aquatic moss sent me by Mr. Hood. It was very 

 restless, but I saw that the trophi, viewed dorsally, were on the pattern of Notommata lacinulata. 

 T.H.G. 



VOL. II. G 



