BY THE SWARM-CELLS OF MYCETOZOA. 441 
which throw out pointed pseudopodia apparently from all parts 
(though this is very probably deceptive). Then in a minute 
or less they will resume the normal swarm-cell charaeter, and 
often show remarkable activity as they crawl over the surface of 
the glass, the contents with the ingested matter and vacuoles 
mixing together in a complete turmoil. They take in material 
of various description, such as bacteria, alga-cells, and inorganic 
matter, and may be seen discharging refuse together with a 
portion of their own protoplasmie substanee in the same way as 
we observe rejected matter left behind by retreating plasmodium. 
This throwing off of a part of the body-substance with refuse 
matter I have repeatedly seen in the swarm-cells of Trichia 
fallax in a very striking manner. 
Tn all these experiments I have invariably observed that food- 
material was taken in only at the posterior end of the swarm- 
cell; and where I have seen refuse matter discharged, it has been 
from the same region. I have rarely been able to observe the 
discharge of any residuum of bacilli; they appear to be almost 
wholly assimilated. 
| Nore.—Since this paper was read, I have observed the swarm- 
cells of Chondrioderma difforme capture and absorb bacilli on 
many occasions. In one instance, after taking m two stout 
bacilli (one measuring 3:8 u by ^7 p), aud enclosing them in separate 
vacuoles, the swarm-cell remained quiescent for a length of time. 
I watched the gradual process of digestion with a Beck 8 15 
immersion-leus, and when, after remaining under observation for 
nearly an hour and a half, the swarm-cell swam off with vigorous 
lashing movement of the cilium, every trace of the two bacilli and 
their containing vacuoles had disappeared, and only the contract- 
ing vacuole remained in the faintly turbid protoplasmie substance 
of the creature.] 
