THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
79 
number of which indicates the species ; 
while two or more similar projections or- 
nament the bottom. This lorica is like 
the shell of a tortoise open at both ends ; 
from the top an extremely beautiful 
Brachionus Urceolaris. X 240. 
This drawing has been accidentally reversed by 
the engraver, which alters the relative place of 
the internal organs. 
wreath of cilia is protruded and also some 
longer and stiff cilia, or slender spines, 
which do not exhibit the rotatory move- 
ment. The ciliary apparatus is in reality 
continuous, but it more often presents the 
appearance of several divisions, and the 
lateral cilia frequently hang over the 
sides. From the large size of each cil- 
ium they are very favorable creatures 
for exhibing the real nature of the action, 
which gives rise to the rotatory appear- 
ance, and which can be easier studied 
than described. By movements, partly 
from their base, and partly arising from 
the flexibility of their structure, the cilia 
come alternately in and out of view, and 
when set in a circular pattern, the effect 
is amazingly like the spinning round of 
a wheel. The internal arrangements of 
the Brachiones are finely displayed, 
and they have a most aldermanic aliow- 
ence of gizzard, which extends more than 
half way across each side of the median 
line, and shows all the portions described 
by Mr. Gosse. As the joints of this ma- 
chine move, and the teeth are brought to- 
gether, one could fancy a sound of mill- 
^work was heard, and the observer is 
fully impressed with a sense of mechan- 
ical power. 
When the creature is obliging enough to 
present a full front view, her domestic 
economy is excellently displayed. The 
prey that is caught in her whirpool is 
carried down by a strong ciliary current 
to the gizzard, which may be often seen 
grappling with objects that appear much 
too big for its grasp ; and Mr. Gosse was- 
lucky in witnessing an attempt to chew 
up a morsel that did actually prove too 
large and too tough, and which, after 
many ineffectual efforts, was suddenly 
cast out. As soon as food has passed the 
gizzard, it is assisted in its journey by 
more ciliary currents, which are notice- 
able in the capacious stomach, in the 
neighborhood of which the secreting and 
other vessels are readily observed. Just 
over the gizzard blazes a great red eye, of 
a square or oblong form, and it reposes 
upon a large mass of soft granular-looking 
brain, which well justifies Mr. Gosse's epi- 
thet "enormous." Whether this brain is 
highly organized enough to be a thlnkuig 
apparatus, we do not know, but it is 
evidently the cause of a very vigorous 
and consentaneous action of the various 
organs the Brachion possesses. 
A description of the Brachion would 
be very incomplete if it omitted that im- 
portant organ the tail, which in this 
family reaches the highest point of de- 
velopment. It is a powerful muscular or- 
gan, of great size in proportion to the 
animal, capaple of complete retraction 
within the carapace, and of being everted 
wholly, or partially, at will. It termin- 
ates in two short conical toes, protruded 
from a tube-like sheath, and capable 
of adhering firmly even to a substance 
so slippery as glass. This tail may be ob- 
served to indicate a variety of emotions, 
if we can ascribe such feeling to a rotifer, 
and it answers many purposes. Now we 
see it cautiously thrust forth, and turned 
this way and that, exploring like an ele- 
phant's trunk and almost as flexible. 
Now it seizes firm hold of some sub- 
stance, and anchors its proprietor hard 
and fast. A few" moments afterwards it 
lashes out right and left with fury, like 
the tail of a cat in a passion. Then 
again it will be retracted, and a casual ob- 
server might not imagine the Brachion 
to be furnished with such a terminal im 
plement. 
The Brachiones may often be seen with 
one or more large eggs stuck about the 
upper part of the tail, and others may be 
discerned inside. One specimen before 
