162 Beard, On the Occurrence of Dextro-rotatory Albumins in Organic Nature. 



their stalks, which were now contracted somewhat spirally. At 

 12. 30 p. m. numerous minute "swarm-spores" (of plants) were 

 observed swimming actively among the debris of the Carchesium. 

 On the rotifer, Melicerta, no action could be noted. Of the worm, 

 Nais, the ferments obviously attacked and dissolved the cuticle. 

 Apparently, owing to this action, at 1. 10 p. m. while the one 

 individual was still alive, the other was nearly dead. At 6 p. m. 

 both were dead and in disintegration. 



XV. Nais proboscidea and Carchesium polypinum. The result 

 in the preceding experiment, ending in the death of the Nais, led 

 to the conclusion, that solutions too strong had been employed in 

 the experiment, and that either the glycerin-menstruum, or the 

 ferment-solution itself, was responsible. Therefore, the experiment 

 upon Carchesium and Nais was repeated as follows, with still greater 

 dilutions. As will be seen, with this modification the experiment 

 was a complete success. Temperature 16 C. The stock-solution 

 used was the same as in the preceding experiment. Five watch- 

 glasses (A., B., C., D. & E.) containing respectively 10, 20, 30, 40 and 

 50 drops of clean fresh rain-water were taken. In each there were 

 a number of "bells" of Carchesium and a worm, Nais, and to each, 

 at 11 a. m., one drop of the 10 c. c. ferment-solution was added. 

 Until 3 p. m. no effect upon any of the organisms was observed. 

 At this time the fluids were removed, fresh rain-water given as 

 before, but to each glass five drops of the ferment-solution were 

 added. 5 p. m. In A., while the Nais was still alive and active, 

 many of the Carchesium were dead and in disintegration. This was 

 confirmed at 6 p. m. and 7 p. m. Next morning at 10 a. m. the 

 experiment was seen to have been decisive. All the Carchesium 

 "bells" were dead and in disintegration. All the worms, Nais, 

 were alive and active. In the latter no traces of damage could 

 be detected. In A. to E. the stalks alone represented the former 

 "bells" of Carchesium, along with a debris of diatoms. Nine hours 

 later the Nais were all still alive and to all appearance unhurt, 

 and just living their ordinary life in the fluid containing 

 ferments as though nothing had happened. A day later the 

 experiment was stopped, but even the worm Nais in A., the glass 

 containing most proportion of ferments, was alive and active. It 

 had been in this solution in rain-water for more than two days. 



XVI. Actinosphaerium eichhorni, a Heliozoan or sun-animalcule. 

 Temperature 16 C. One cubic centimetre of the usual 10 c. c. 

 stock-solution of ferments, freshly prepared, was further diluted 

 with four cubic centimetres of clean fresh rain-water. To Actino- 

 sphaerium, an (asexual) fresh-water Heliozoan, in two drops of clean 

 fresh rain-water, one drop of the further dilution of ferments was 

 added at 10. 58 a. m. In less than one minute the long delicate 



