6 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



For some years I have frequently seen, in the moss-washings 

 where I seek for Water-Bears (Tardigrada), little yellow elliptical 

 or sausage -shaped packages, from which I could squeeze out 

 animals of the genus Macrobiotus, in a quiescent state, but alive. 

 I thought to connect these in some way with imperfect moults, 

 but the packages differed from the moulting animal in that the 

 yellow skin tightly enclosed the animal within, suggesting a 

 comparison with pupae, or with mummies, and there were no 

 limbs on the outer skin. The origin of these curious bodies 

 was quite unknown, and the matter rested thus till I had recently 

 the good fortune to watch the process of formation in one species 

 which abounded in a shallow pond near Glasgow. 



The species observed was long supposed to be Macrobiotus 

 macronyx, but the eggs have recently been found, and as these 

 are spiny and are laid free, while those of M. macronyx are 

 smooth and are laid in the moulted skin, the species would have 

 to be placed in a different section of the genus. Prof. Eichters 

 agrees that the species is one hitherto undescribed, and I now 

 give a description of it: — 



Macrobiotus dispae, n. sp. (figs. 1 to 5). — Large, hyaline, 

 with yellow or brown stomach. Eyes dark. Claws of each pair 

 very unequal, one very large, the other very minute, the dis- 

 proportion less in those of the last legs. Pharynx large, shortly 

 oval ; thickenings three in each row — first a nut joined to the 

 gullet, second a long narrow rod, third a rod half as long as the 

 second. Teeth curved, with very wide furca. Eggs spiny, laid 

 free ; spines little sharp cones, separated by interspaces about 

 equal to the diameter of the cones. Length up to 600 ^ ; 

 pharynx, 80 p long ; larger claws, 48 /* long ; diameter of egg, 

 over spines, 90 i*. There are generally two large conical pro- 

 cesses on the back (fig. 1), between the third and fourth legs. 

 These are variable, and may be apparently quite obsolete. There 

 appears, however, to be always some trace of them when the 

 animal moults. 



This species was supposed by Prof. Eichters to be M. ma- 

 cronyx, which the adult closely resembles, and under that name 

 I have recorded it in various papers. That species lays smooth 

 eggs in the moulted skin, and has not the conical processes so 

 frequent in M. dispar. 



