14 FIRST LESSONS IN ZOOLOGY. 



is enveloped within the body, which is so transparent that 

 the food-object can be seen through it. The Amceba has 

 the power of digesting and of distributing and absorbing 

 the food (Fig. 7, li, food-ball) when digested. 



The Amoeba reproduces its kind by simply dividing into 

 two portions, as seen in Fig. 8. After becoming encysted 

 ~>r forming a round mass as at B, it breaks out of the cell- 

 wall and becomes free and irregular in shape as at A. 

 Self-division then begins as at C, the nucleus dividing into 

 two, until at Da and Db two separate individuals are formed- 



When the Amoeba is touched it (1) contracts its body 



.'G 8. Amoeba. A, before division. B, the same in its resting stage; n. cyst 

 <>r cell-wall ; d. body-mass; c. nucleus : 6. micleolus. C, Amoeba, nearly divided. 

 D, two young Amoebae, the result of division. (Highly magnified.) 



it is thus said to be contractile and (2) performs auto- 

 matic movements; also, like the higher animals (3), it 

 swallows food; (4) chemical changes in the food take place: 

 in other words, it digests its food, i.e, separates or secretes 

 the portion necessary to nourish its body from those por- 

 tions which it excretes or rejects as waste; (5) it may also 

 be said to breathe, the changes involved in taking food, 



