MICROSCOPIC LIFE OF THE "LEAF-CARPET." 241
structure might easily be rendered invisible. No free-swimming
individuals were seen nor any only partially covered with pellets.
The cells were always embedded in a dense mass of pellets
forming more or less ovoid bodies.
CILIATA.
Some members of this class of the Protozoa were found in all
samples of leaf-carpet washings, and a large number of genera
were represented altogether, but the number of species in any
particular case was not as a rule more than three or four. The
commonest forms were Cyclidium glaucoma, Chilodon cucullulus,
Colpoda cucullus (?), and Conostomum affine. Other forms noted
only a few times were species of Spathidium, Lionotus, Dileptus,
Microthorax, Lembus, Blepharisma, Cyrtolophosis, Hoheria,
Oxytricha, Chaetospira, Holosticha, Euplotes, Opercularia and
Vorticella.
The animals dealt with so far—Rhizopoda to Ciliata—are all
included in the Phylum Protozoa. Previous records of these
organisms from forest soils, not, however, confined to the leaf-
carpet, may be found in 2, 9 and 11.
TURBELLARIA.
Several forms of very small Rhabdocaele Turbellarians were
seen on many occasions, but as a rule they could not be satisfac-
torily identified. A species of Prorhynchus, probably P. hygro-
philus, was noted five times and a species of Stenostomum was
seen once.
ROTIFERA.
Every sample of leaf-carpet yielded at least one species of
Rotifer. More often than not there were two or three species, and
in one case as many as six species were found. As might have
been expected, perhaps, these were mostly Bdelloids, and the
late Mr. Bryce, who was such a competent authority on the
Rotifera in general and on the Bdelloids in particular, very kindly
examined five samples and furnished me with the following
list:—Adineta barbata (in samples 1, 3, 4 and 5), Squatinella
(Stephanops) stylata (in 1, 3 and 5), S. tenella (in 5), Habrotrocha
crenata (in 1), H. pulchra (in 4), Macrotrachela quadricornifera (in
1, 3 and 4), M. papillosa (in 3 and 4), M. musculosa (in 4), and
Encentrum (Diglena) sp. (in 3, 4 and 5).