4 
lobes, as if forming a tuft on each. They really, however, fringe the whole 
of the circumference of the trochal disc (a fact I believe not hitherto noticed), 
but as they are set in constantly (though regularly) varying directions, a 
large portion of them lie out of focus, and are thus by their delicacy 
rendered invisible when the main outline of the Rotifer and its principal 
tufts of setae are distinctly seen. I have also observed that as the roots of 
the setse approach nearer and nearer to the bottom of the cavity between 
two adjoining lobes, the setae themselves slope further and further away 
from the trochal disc, until at last those at the bottom of the cavity are 
actually directed backwards towards the suctorial foot.- 
Floating particles may be constantly seen to enter the funnel-shaped 
trochal disc (fig. 2, a,) and to pass thence down to the mouth. The long 
setae take no part in this process beyond that of preventing the return of 
the captured prey by interlacing in a dense network over the mouth of 
the funnel, or by individually (but only occasionally) lashing at the return- 
ing object so as to throw it back again into the funnel. The interlacing of 
the setae is accomplished by the heads of the lobes being made to approach 
each other ; and, should the prey be very large and vigorous, the lobes are 
all compressed tightly together, so that the aperture of the funnel is com- 
pletely closed. I once saw Floscularia catch a small Rotifer which nearly 
filled the cavity of the funnel; the prey struggled vigorously to escape, 
and I was surprised to see how tenaciously the delicate lobes of Floscularia 
retained their grasp, although obliged at last to let the Rotifer go. Shortly 
after one of the style-bearing Infusoria sailed into the funnel, but it seemed 
quite conscious of the protection that its thorny bristles gave it, and lay 
quite still while Floscularia slowly and carefully distended the aperture to 
its utmost limit and withdrew its tender lobes from all chance of contact. 
On watching the animal when quiet and fully expanded, it is obvious (as 
Gosse has remarked) not only that a continued current sets down the 
funnel to the mouth, but that the prey is swept round inside in a vortex, 
which lies in a plane bisecting the animal in the direction of its greatest 
length. As this vortex could not possibly be caused by motionless setae, 
Gosse rightly supposed that there must be somewhere inside the funnel 
minute cilia producing the current, and which cilia with their supports 
make the true rotatory apparatus of Floscularia. 
Now on looking at fig. (2) it will be seen that the funnel (a) is separated 
from the main trunk by a chamber (c) called the " vestibule " by Dr. 
Dobie ; and the funnel meets the vestibule in a thickened rim, which is 
capable of being completely contracted upon itself so as to close the 
vestibule, and prevent the escape of any thing that has entered it. 
About half the rim is thicker than the rest, and is covered with very 
minute cilia ; its extremities are knob -shaped and bear long slowly- waving 
cilia, which are readily seen. This is the true rotatory apparatus of Flos- 
