. Science-gossip . isalmost circular in figure, the upper surface is not at allconvex, but flattened and even irregularly depressed,so that the edges are higher than the centre. Thisgives the mite, when alive and moving on the surfaceof the mud, a most singular appearance. —Body : In colour M. orhiiiilnns isgenerally of a rather dirty yellow, with dark appearance varies considerably with the contentsof the caeca. A depressed circular line runs all near to the outer edge. The black eyes, one oneither side, project beyond the edge of the body andarc therefore very c
. Science-gossip . isalmost circular in figure, the upper surface is not at allconvex, but flattened and even irregularly depressed,so that the edges are higher than the centre. Thisgives the mite, when alive and moving on the surfaceof the mud, a most singular appearance. —Body : In colour M. orhiiiilnns isgenerally of a rather dirty yellow, with dark appearance varies considerably with the contentsof the caeca. A depressed circular line runs all near to the outer edge. The black eyes, one oneither side, project beyond the edge of the body andarc therefore very conspicuous. In the centre theY-shaped caecum is filled vvith opaque intensely while 46 SCIENCE-GOSSIP. maleiial, and sometimes the \ety delicate red and ijluecolour of the dorsal shield can be seen. If the dorsalplate be dissected from the dead mite, cleaned andmounted in Canada Ijalsam, it makes a very beautifulobject for the microscope, the finely granulatedtexture with the delicate colouring of transparent red. Mideo/isrs oi-biculat-is Muller. and blue, reminding one of those circular diatoms,which from their thinness, decompose the light. Legs.—These are pretty equal in thickness, andlength ; all of them are provided with claws, andswimming hairs, which are more numerous on thethree last pairs. Palpi.—The palpi are short, and pretty stout, thelast joint is claw-shaped, not simple, but does notmake a forceps, as in the Arrenuri. The thigh platesare of a delicate blue colour, and coalesce, so as toform a sort of shield, over the central portion of theabdomen ; and a well-marked sort of bay is formedposteriorly, between Ihem, by their projection oneither side. The skin is chitinous, and very finelyperforated, tougher and not so brittle as in thigh plates are more highly chitinized than theskin, the perforations are larger, their colour is inten-sified by mounting in balsam. Genital Plates.—In the centre of the bay,formed by the two posterior thigh plates,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booksubjectscience
