Like the Floscule, the Stephanoceros only reveals her beauties under careful illumination. A direct light renders them invisible, and only when the requisite obliquity has been obtained, does the exquisite character of the structure become displayed. The dark-ground illumination is very useful, and makes the ciliary action very distinct. At times a view can be obtained, in which the cilia of perhaps a single tentacle are all ranged like the steel springs of a musical box. For a moment they are quiescent, and then they vibrate in succession, each moving thread sparkling in the light. With a clumsy mode of lighting them, the cilia look like stumpy bristles, and are often so drawn; but precisely the right quantity of light coming in the right direction, makes them appear more numerous, and much longer than would at first be supposed. When well exhibited the tentacles have a lustre between glass and pearl; the body, in a favorable specimen, is like a crystal cup, and the food, usually composed of small red and green globes, glows like emeralds and rubies, as if in the height of luxury the little epicure had more than rivalled Cleopatra's draught, and instead of dissolving, swallowed its jewelry whole. So lustrous and varied in colour is the whole appearance of the animal under these circumstances, that it is frequently alluded to by one of our first artists, to whom it was displayed. It is said by some authors that the tentacles are used to seize prey. This never occurred under my observation, although their basal portions are often approximated when an object is forced down to the grinding apparatus below. The Stephanoceros is a ravenous feeder, and swallows a variety of creatures. Green vegetable monads, rich red and brown globes of similar characters, and any animalcule that comes in her way is acceptable; and even good-sized rotifers do not escape her all-consuming maw. On one occasion I noticed one of the loricated sort, more than half as long as one of her tentacles, rapidly swallowed, and passed downwards without attempting to escape. Objects much too big for the gizzard are often gulped down, and probably receive a preliminary softening and maceration in the crop. Very often, when food is plentiful, the creature is filled to the brim, but still endeavours to continue her abundant meal. From the presence of large quantities of food and the density of the integuments, the gizzard cannot always be seen; but in favorable specimens its teeth may be observed busily at work.