WHEEL-BEARERS 291 



points of the fingers of the unci, meeting each other, doubt- 

 less pierce and tear the Infusoria swallowed, and the 

 striated faces of the quadrantic masses bruise, squeeze, 

 and grind them down. 



When the muscular investiture is dissolved away by 

 potash, the essential identity of the whole structure with 

 that of the type already described becomes abundantly evi- 

 dent. Even the mallei, which in some aspects present 

 difficulty, when viewed vertically, are but little changed; 

 the fingers are parallel instead of divergent, and the handle- 

 like character of the manubrium is lost; but three areas, 

 enclosed by loops or carinse of solid substance, reveal their 

 true nature. 



We will now see if we can separate the animal from its 

 tube, so as to examine its lower parts. By a gentle press- 

 ure upon the bottom of the tube with the edge of a pen- 

 knife, which I bring to bear upon it by the aid of this 

 simple microscope, the creature is induced to wriggle out 

 of his case. Replacing now the cover of the lire-box, 

 and placing it again on the stage of the compound micro- 

 scope, we see that the lower part of the body forms a foot 

 analogous to that of a Brachionus, covered with ring-like 

 wrinkles, and separated from the body by an abrupt con- 

 striction and diminution of the diameter. At the very 

 extremity there is a sort of sucking-disk, by which we may 

 presume the hold of the animal upon the plant is main- 

 tained. No organic connection subsists between the foot 

 and the tube; for the latter is not an essential part 

 of the animal, though absurdly called a lorica by Ehren- 

 berg, but only an accumulation of mucus successively 

 exuded from the body, and thrown off in the form 



