4 THE ROTIFERA. 



The lobes are five in number, and the ciha are like those of Floscularla, whilo the lobes 

 are like those of Stephanoceros, having the same incm'ved appearance towards the apex. 

 Its size is about |^ that of Stephanoceros.'" If Mr. Wliitelegge's specimen was full grown, 

 the Australian Rotiferou would be less than lialf the size of the largest American 

 specimen ; but of course it is not fair to judge from a solitary example — as this was. 



Floscularia (?) cniM^RA, Hudson, sp. nov. (PI. XXXII, fig. 2). 



SP. OH. Corona a two lobed cup ; the dorsal lobe much the larger, like an over- 

 hanging hood ; the ventral slightly notched ; the edge of the cup fringed with sctm. 

 Foot with two toes. One dorsal eye. No tube. Free swimming. 



This strange creature was discovered by Mr. V. Gunson Thorpe, in water round a 

 fountain in the Botanical Gardens at Brisbane. It was a solitary specimen. While its 

 general resemblance to a Floscule is obvious, yet it possesses characters unknown in the 

 rest of the genus, or indeed in the family of the Flosculariadce. For, first, the body 

 forms, with the foot, one continuous slender cone, terminated by two small toes ; 

 instead of being a pear-shaped body, ending in a long, narrow, toe-less foot. Next, there 

 is only one red eye, obviously situated on the dorsal surface of the hood ; instead of 

 there being two minute, deeply-sunk, cervical eyes. Again, no Floscule has either a 

 niastax or gastric glands ; but Mr. Thorpe's chimaira has two large gastric glands, and 

 an obvious mastax. To all these points of difference must be added the habit of swim- 

 ming freely ; and the result is as exasperating to classify, as it is delightful to contemplate. 



Length. About jL inch. Habitat. Botanical Gardens, Brisbane (Thorpe). 



' LiMNiAS COENUELLA, Boussclct (19G), (PI. XXXII. fig. 4). 



SP. CH. Foiir horny processes on the dorsal surface beloiu the corona; ventral 

 antennae very long, each equal in length to half the greatest width of the corona ; tube 

 slightly tapering, generally curved {and sometimes twisted), ringed, translucent at the 

 exlremitics. 



This very well marked species was discovered by Mr. Charles Rousselet,' in 

 November 1888, attached to the rootlets of a plant (Triana hogotensis) grovring on the 

 surface of a hot-house tank in the gardens of the Royal Botanic Society, in Regent's 

 Park ; and I am indebted to Mr. Rousselet's courtesy for the living specimens from which 

 my figures were drawn. The ventral antennae, which are usually fully extended, would 

 be long in any of the Mcliccrtad<d, and therefore contrast strongly with the setigerous 

 stumps and pimples of annulatus, and ceratophylli. The chin projects in an elegant 

 trifid curve, and the corona has an unusually wide dorsal gap (fig. 4 b). The animal is 

 fond of liolding itself in its tube in an unusual position ; so that the plane of its corona 

 is at right angles to the longer axis of the tube. This latter is transparent and corru- 

 gated, like tliat of annulatus, only the corrugations are broader aiid shallower ; and the 

 tube itself is frequently obscured (especially in the middle) by fine granulations, and 

 small brown, circular discs. Mr. Rousselet [loc. cit.) has given some excellent drawings 

 of the tube (as well as of cornuclla itself), sliowing its curved form, and the curious twist 

 that it occasionally takes. 



Length. From g'^ to 3',, inch. Habitat. See above. 



LiMNiAS GRANULOSUS, Webcr (199). 



SP. CII. Corona formed of two great lobes, dorsal"^ cleft deep; s to; processes 071 

 the dorsal surface, tmderncath the corona ; three antennae. Tube cylindrical, opaque, 



' Mr. Thomas Whitelegge of Sydney, N.S.W., in a list of Eotifera which he had found in his 

 neighbourhood in 1883-4, describes a Limnias in some respects similar to cornuclla. He says: "Its 

 tube is fusiform, opacjue brown and often curved. The most marked characteristic is the length of the 

 two antenn.f, whicli project beyond the disc, wlien the cilia are in full play ; and also out of the tube, 

 when the creature is retracted." 



■ There is seme confus;on here in the terms. If by the " dorsal cleft " above (" ichancrure dorsale 



