NOTOMMATAD^E. 25 



and Distemma. There appears a sort of proboscis, but close appressed, not at all 

 movable. I have never seen the jaws protruded, though they are every moment brought 

 to the bottom of the ciliate face, snapping up atoms of food. 



It is not much given to locomotion, but can swim, rather slowly : usually, it rolls 

 hither and thither, or adheres by the toes. It picks industriously among the vegetable 

 floccose for morsels of food : it is vivacious and energetic, and altogether attractive ; 

 constantly reminding me of the marine Distemma raptor. I have observed, in all, about 

 a score of examples, all isolated. 



Length, T | 7 inch. Habitat. Woolston, lacustrine. P.H.G.] 



FURCULARIA LACTISTBS, Gosse (171), (PI. XXXI. fig. 13). 



[SP. CH. Back much arched, soft and plump, smooth, round; foot stout; toes 

 long, slender, acute, decurved ; foot and toes together equal in length to the trunk; a 

 short pointed tail. 



It possesses much elegance of form, and a most restless activity, every instant retro- 

 jecting the long foot and toes, with the action of a kicking horse, very forcibly and 

 pertinaciously. It has one very curious habit : it constantly insinuates itself between 

 two stalks of conferva, where it immediately begins to make itself a cell (only just large 

 enough to hold it) by incessantly turning head over heels. As soon as it has got its 

 place, it bends the front down to the belly, and begins to roll round and round, without 

 a moment's cessation for hours. If forced out, it at once begins the same process 

 somewhere else. The habit, which is not that of an individual, but is characteristic of the 

 species, may be compared with the tube-making propensity of F. forficula (vol. ii. p. 41). 

 In other respects it has the manners of its genus ; as in its sudden and rapid motions, 

 its volutions, and its swift shooting way of swimming. The incus-fulcrum appeared to 

 be a massive pillar, with long, slender, divergent, arching rami : the mallei, evanescent. 



I met with several examples of this interesting species, inhabiting floating tufts of 

 a floccose conferva, that waved in a rapid rivulet in the village of Kingskerswell. And, 

 a few weeks later, two more occurred in water from Carrick-on- Shannon. These had 

 the same form, and identically the same habits, as the Devonshire specimens. More 

 recently, I have detected the same species in other waters. 



Length, T J^ inch. Habitat. Lacustrine. P.H.G.] 



FURCULARIA MOLARIS, Gosse (171), (PI. XXXI. fig. 14). 



[SP. CH. Body ovate, with a thick truncate head, and suddenly diminishing to a 

 long foot, terminated by two blade-shaped, straight, acute, toes ; back elevated ; belly 

 straight. 



A single round eye, well-defined, of ruby brilliance, near the frontal part of a clear 

 saccate brain, marks this rather insignificant species. The trophi are nearly as in 

 F. lactistes just described ; but the mallei are more developed. An ample alimentary 

 canal, undivided, nearly fills the trunk ; and a clear ovary crosses it obliquely, having 

 in general embryonic vesicles more or less conspicuous. The long foot and toes are 

 carried straight behind, and both extended are about as long as the trunk. It is, as 

 usual, restless, moderately swift, with a smooth gliding course. It is an elegant and 

 attractive little species, which, for lack of any marked characteristics, I name from the 

 locality in which I found it the Kingskerswell mill-stream. Here, on different occa- 

 sions, I have met with several examples. 



Length, T }^ inch. Habitat. Lacustrine. P.H.G.] 



FURCULARIA STEREA, Gosse (171), (PI. XXXI. fig. 15). 



[SP. CH. Body ovato-cylindric, with a thick truncate head, and sub-prone face ; 

 behind ending in a short, decurved, acute tail; foot short and thick, apparently one- 

 jointed ; toes moderate, acute, scarcely decurved. 



