Twenty-four more New Species of Rotifera. By P. H. Gosse. 871 



the latter half as thick as the former. But both, especially the foot, are 

 capable of sudden elongation at will. 'J'hus the creature has a facies 

 which distinguishes it from either of its congeners. Perhaps it comes 

 nearest to Teresa. The toes are even broader proportionally ; together 

 much exceeding the width of the foot whence they issue. The eye is 

 conspicuous, nearly frontal, but changes its position with the brain. The 

 whole animal is colourless, but very full of folds and corrugations. Very 

 long mucus-glands proceed from the toes through the whole of the foot. 



The species first occurred to my observation on the 7th of May, 1887, 

 on very fine seaweeds {Ceramium), which I gathered in the deep cup- 

 like pool in limestone rock at Oddicombe Point. I met with about half- 

 a-dozen examples. (Fig- 22.) 



23. Anursea schista. Lorica oblong, tapering to a short spine 

 behind ; dorsal plate tesselated in polygonal areas on each side of a 

 mesial ridge, and punctured ; ventral plate much shorter, produced into 

 a projecting sharp point, divided from the dorsal by a deep cleft. Length 

 1/162 in., width 1/470 in. Lacustrine. 



It has relations with stijpitata and cochlearis ; in tesselation agreeing 

 A\ith the latter, and with tecta. The anterior spines are straight. It is 

 evidently an approach to Notholca, but I do not see the ridges and 

 furrows descending from the spines. The tesselae are somewhat coarse 

 and ill-defined. The straight short antlers, and the great descending 

 point of the ventral plate, distinguish it at once from every known species. 

 This point is a stiff taper spine : sometimes it projects obliquely (6) ; 

 then, in a moment it is jerked in, so as to be quite hidden, only to be as 

 rapidly thrown out again. Even in a dorsal view it can be clearly seen, 

 through the transparent tissues. I believe 1 have seen, on two occasions, a 

 discharged eg^, carried under the belly, in the manner of tecta, &c. The 

 eye is a ball of deep red, of enormous size. A very large contractile 

 vesicle, when full, forces up the other viscera to the middle of the body ; 

 when, often, the well-defined contrast between the dark turbid contents 

 of the intestine, and the crystal clearness of the bladder, is curious and 

 striking. The bladder has no effect on the ventral spine, whose move- 

 ments are manifestly voluntary. (Fig. 23.) 



I have seen nearly a score of specimens in water sent by Mr. Bolton 

 from the Botanic Garden, Birmingham. It is a sprightly active swimmer. 



24. Notholca labis. Almost the very counterpart of N. scapha, save 

 that the outline is a longer oval, and the lorica is prolonged into a short, 

 broad, truncate tail behind. Length 1/216 in.; width 1/370 in. 

 Lacustrine. 



One of the discoveries of Mr. Hood of Dundee, who finds it numerous 

 in a pool in Emmock Wood, near that city. He has repeatedly sent me 

 specimens, but hitherto all have been dead on arrival. As, however, the 

 internal organization is probably normal, the correctness of the diagnosis 

 and delineation is not lessened by the fact that perfect loricae are at 

 absolute command. The little tail to the lorica reminds one of the handle 

 of a dust-pan, if so homely an illustration can be tolerated. The ridges 

 and furrows from the frontal spines are almost obliterate. (Fig. 24.) 



