THE GEMMULES. 213 



towards the middle of the back, where it terminates. 

 An outline, a little larger, is visible around it, which 

 I conjecture to be the internal wall of the intestine, 

 within which an energetic vermicular ciliary action 

 goes on ; the rest of this viscus is composed probably 

 of a thick glandular tissue, a structure not uncommon 

 among the Rotifera. Within the substance of this 

 sac, or else overlying it is a large transversely-oval 

 viscus, of a yellowish brown hue, punctured all over 

 with close- set round dots. The large intestinal sac 

 passes in a narrow tube, from the point where the 

 food-pellet terminated, forwards and upwards towards 

 the front, and probably opens into the funnel ; for 

 under pressure the contents of the intestine were 

 forced out at the mouth, following the course of this 

 tube. Such is the digestive system, no gizzard or 

 manducatory organs being visible in any part. 



By one of those fortunate accidents which some- 

 times occur unexpectedly, but which cannot be 

 commanded, I obtained some light on the generative 

 function of this zoophyte. Looking at one through 

 the microscope, I perceived seated on the front, which 

 was in a semi-expanded state, a minute oval hyaline 

 body set with long cilia, with which it seemed to be 

 struggling to free itself from the contact of the parent 

 animal. Presently I saw another emerging, and I 

 then observed what had escaped my notice before, 

 that several more were lying in the free water around, 

 sluggishly waving their cilia, but not swimming. On 

 this I applied a slight pressure with the compres- 

 sorium, and presently a mass of some twenty or thirty 

 was protruded from the mouth, most of which mani- 



