24 THE ROTIFEKA. 



lateral canals are obvious ; but no vibratile tags have, as yet, been seen. The nervous 

 ganglion is a pale, rounded, finely granulated mass, above the mastax ; and seated above 

 its posterior border, in the neck, is the eye : a small crystalline, refractive lens, on a small 

 mass of red pigment. Above the anterior border of the brain, is a small spherical pit 

 in the dorsal surface, covered with fine vibratile cilia. The use of this organ is unknown. 

 There is a simple ovary, which becomes much distended with eggs flattened by pressure 

 against one another ; and after a time the ovisac appears to be ruptured, and the eggs 

 fall into the general cavity of the body, which becomes much distorted. Professor 

 Balbiani satisfied himself that the same female, while occupying, alone, the same capsule, 

 laid first ordinary " summer " eggs, and then ephippial ones. Professor Balbiani has 

 not seen the male, which at present is unknown. 



Length. About T Jo mcn - Habitat. Galls of Vaucheria. 



PKOALES COBYNEGEB, Gosse (171), (PI. XXXI. fig. 10). 



[SP. CH. Body nearly cylindrical, rounded in front and rear; foot stout, apparently 

 one-jointed ; toes two, furcate, rod-shaped, thick at base, tapering to an obtuse point, 

 very slightly recurved, half as long as body-and-head. 



This obscure form I cannot, on the evidence of a single specimen, identify with any 

 species known to me ; though I own it presents little distinctive character. Its long, 

 thick, club-shaped toes form its most obvious distinction ; these are usually carried wide 

 apart. The figure suggests Diaschiza ; but I could not detect any dorsal fissure, and 

 the soft skin seems destitute of a lorica. There is a minute red eye in the occiput. In 

 swimming it is rapid, smoothly gliding ; darting to and fro, without any appreciable 

 aim. 



Length, T ^ inch. Habitat. Kingskerswell, lacustrine. P.H.G.] 



PEOALES OTHODON, Gosse (170), (PI. XXXI. fig. 11). 



[SP. CH. Body nearly cylindrical, but arched in the line of the back, straight in that 

 of the belly ; very plump throughout ; mastax forcibly protusile ; foot and toes minute. 



This occurred in water from Woolston a single example only. It is of plump 

 hog-like form, without wrinkles, and almost without folds. It has no very marked 

 characteristics, yet it does not seem referrible to any recognised species. There is a 

 slight projection from the front in a lateral view, which, however, in a dorsal view appears 

 to be a wide ridge seen endwise. The face is obliquely prone, from the midst of which 

 the jaws are occasionally protruded, with force, in the manner of a fierce Diglena : the 

 details of these jaws I was not able to trace. A sac-like brain is conspicuous, but I 

 could discern no eye. The stomach and distinct intestine are ample ; the former carries 

 a pair of gastric glands, which are large, high, and pointed. 



Length, ^ t inch. Habitat. Woolston, lacustrine. P.H.G.] 



PROALES PBEHENSOK, Gosse (170), (PI, XXXI. fig. 12). 



[SP. CH. Body bottle- or oil-flask-shaped, but ivitli the belly nearly flat ; fore parts 

 long, very protusile ; eye small ; face prone ; a short tuberculous tail ; foot short; toes 

 blade-shaped, straight, acute, usually appressed. 



I have doubts where I should place this species. Technically, it seems a Notommata 

 or Proales, with the form of a Distyla, yet having much in common with Distemma, 

 The toes, in particular blades, widest in the middle, with slender produced tips, and 

 generally carried close together as one (though sometimes widely spread) remind us 

 forcibly of Distyla or Cathypna. The trophi, too, suggest the same alliance : viewed 

 ventrally, the length and form of the mallei, and the triradiate incus, for instance : 

 yet I believe I have seen a great blade-like prolongation of the incus arching far into 

 the occiput ; and, at times, what seemed a short i'orcipate form of the ami, as in Diglena 



