104 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[May 1, 1867. 



ACTINOPHRYS. 



A SPECIES of Actinophrys, which is not de- 

 -*--*- scribed in the "Micrograpliic Dictionary," 

 occurs abundantly in some of the pools in this 

 neighbourhood. It differs from A. sol in being of a 

 deep orange colour ; but perhaps it may be only 

 some peculiar condition of that creature. The 

 body of this Actinophrys sometimes appears as a 

 simply granulated mass, contained in a colourless 

 envelope. At other times, the contents of the 

 envelope are gathered into irregularly rounded 

 masses of a darker colour, as at fig. 73, a. The ten- 

 tacles are of various lengths, seldom exceeding the 

 diameter of the body. Upon each tentacle there 

 frequently occurs one or two very small globules of 

 sarcode. These run rapidly from the body to the 

 extremity of the tentacle, and after a little while 

 return, but much more slowly. Possibly by this 

 means the creature is enabled to capture its food, 

 and to draw it into itself. I have, however, never 

 noticed any foreign body in it. During the winter 

 months, it becomes encysted, and attached to the 

 filaments of Spirogyra, and other similar floating 

 plants ; and in this manner becomes exposed to 

 the influences of the sun and air. 



Fig. /3. Actinophrys x 300. 



The cyst consists of a tough, colourless, oval case, 

 in which at last the creature becomes divided into 

 two Qj), the escape of which from the cyst I had 

 an opportunity of observing. 



Erom the ruptured side, apparently from a 

 round hole, first one passed out (b, c), leaving the 

 other in the cyst, with certain chocolate-coloured 

 particles, some of which escaped at the same time 

 with the Actinophrys, and were cast off into the 

 surrounding water. These particles seem to be 

 merely dead matter, thrown off during the encysting 



process. When one of the creatures had escaped, 

 it assumed the usual round form, and then slowly 

 moved away to a little distance. After a short 

 time, it returned towards the other, which was in a 

 similar manner passing out of the cyst. In a few 

 moments more, a fusion or conjugation of the two 

 took place (d), and the whole finally left the cyst, 

 as at e. I have not noticed any further develop- 

 ments, though it is quite possible that the rounded 

 bodies represented at a may be germs. 



This may possibly be a new species, as it does 

 not agree with any of the species given in the 

 " Micrograpliic Dictionary." If so, perhaps 

 Actinophrys aurea would describe it sufficiently. 



Markington, Ripley, Yorkshire. J. S. Tute. 



SALAMANDBJNE. 



TT is well known that Aristotle and Pliny, as well 

 -*- as other writers of more recent times, relate 

 extraordinary stories respecting certain Batrachians ; 

 and although a good deal of the more mysterious 

 and extravagant of these statements has worn off 

 iu the course of time, the belief that toads, newts, 

 and salamanders are highly poisonous animals was 

 quite general down to our own times, when this 

 notion was altogether discarded as 

 unworthy of our enlightened age. 

 Many a modern work on natural 

 history draws particular attention to 

 this subject, and declares the suspicion 

 with which these animals are still 

 regarded by the uneducated to be 

 wholly without foundation, and indeed 

 a mere superstition. 



Nevertheless, in this matter natu- 

 ralists have clearly gone from one 

 extreme to another, and this is only 

 another instance proving how reluctant 

 and, careful we ought to be in dis- 

 regarding or denying altogether such 

 statements of the ancient writers as 

 may at first appear either untrust- 

 worthy or fabulous ; for, though often 

 distorted and exaggerated, they gene- 

 rally contain some foundation in fact. 

 During the last ten years several 

 physiologists have paid attention to 

 this subject, and have brought to light sufficient 

 facts to re-establish the old belief in the poisonous 

 nature of the toad, the newt, and the salamander; 

 but the educated public seem to be still disinclined 

 to recognize the results of their inquiries— relying 

 no doubt on the fact that these harmless and in- 

 offensive creatures have hardly ever an opportunity 

 of bringing their venomous propensities into 

 action. 



In addition to the observations made by Gradiolet 

 and Cloez (Compt. rend, xxxii. p. 592 ; et xxxv. p. 



