Marvels of Pond-life

pressorium-Internal structure of Pterodina-Metopidia-Trichodina pediculu

in a tub, and in many portions of the field the process of self-fissure, or multiplication by division, is going on without any symptoms of discomfort on the part of the parent creature. This is an interesting sight, but we will not linger over it, for the sun is shining, and there is enough warmth in the air to make it probable that the ponds will be more prolific th

dina

dle of which depended a tail, which swayed from side to side, as the creature swam along. The head exhibited two little red eyes; two tufts of cilia rowed the living disk through the water, and the gizzard worked with a rapid snapping motion, that left no doubt the ciliary whirlpools had brought home no slender stores of invisible food. Sometimes the end of the tail acted as a sucker, and fixed the animal tightly to the glass, when th

dina pati

that it was visible to the naked eye, and as a good many were swimming together, one could be captured without much difficulty, and transferred with a very small drop of water to the live-box. Then the cover had to

ting a well-made live-box. We will suppose the Pterodina successfully caged, and a power of about one hundred and fifty linear brought to bear upon her, for our specimen is of the "female persuasion." This will suffice to demonstrate the disposition and relation of

ttle bosses or dots, which vary in different individuals. The cilia are not disposed, as at first appeared, in two separate and distinct disks, but are continuous, as in the annexed sketch. Down each side are two long muscular bands, distinctly striated, and when they contract, the ciliary apparat

patina-t

slight additional pressure will keep it so for examination. Delicate muscular longitudinal bands, forked towards the end of their course, supply the means of performing some of its motions, and one, or perhaps two, spiral threads ext

t an interval of months, seen the appearance of two, and am in some doubt whether thi

Mr. Gosse. B. Specimen as seen and d

icated than I have described. The Pterodina lived for some time in captivity, and for a week or two I could obtain them from my glass tank. They were likewise to be found for some weeks in the same part of th

ina ped

a small Trichodina pediculus, which, when magnified two hundred and sixty linear, was about the size of a sixpence and equally round. The edge was beautifully fringed with a circle of cilia; in an inner circle was a row of locomotive organs, and the centre exhibited vacuoles constantly opening and shutting. This creature, as before explained, is often found a

) B and C. The specimens described in text

umped up and down like "Jack in the box." These were so minute, that a power of four hundred and thirty linear was advantageously brought to bear upon them. When elongated their bodies were somewhat pear-shaped, but more slender, and variegated with vacuoles and particles of food. The mouths resembled those of Vorticell?, and put forth circles of vibrating cilia. They were easily alarmed, when the cilia were retracted, and down they sank to the bottom of their vases, quickly to rise again. In one bottle there were two living in friendly juxtaposition. This was not a ca

ires,' speaks of the Vorticellids as the only Infusoria dividing long

ia imberbis, were described as Carapaces by Ehrenberg, but they bear no resemblance to the shell of a turtle or cra

rticellina with a carapace. Stein places them with Vorticellids, &c., amongst his

entor igneus from S. niger; the creature described seems to have agreed with Stein's igneus, which he describes as having blood-red lilac, cinnabar, or brown-red pigment particles, and as much smaller than his S. niger. In the same water were specimens of that singular Rotifer, the Salpina, about 1-150" long, and furnished with a lorica, or carapace, resembling a three-sided glass box, closed below, and slightly open along the back. At the top of this box were four, and at the bottom three, points or horns, and

s brought in their train. The next chapter will

na re