BURS ARIA. 135 



of the water, as its death always seemed to take 

 place after the drop had been under the micro- 

 scope a certain time, and though there was still 

 sufficient water remaining for the body to move 

 within it, with some freedom, there might not 

 be enough for its comfort and life. I caused 

 the death of many specimens, before this idea 

 occurred to me, and I have not met with any- 

 thing similar to it, except once, in the case of a 

 Stentor, which I saw disperse in the same extra- 

 ordinary way. That the bodies of these little 

 creatures should be dissipated in the water after 

 death is not surprising, but that they should 

 commence breaking up during life, at least, 

 that the cilia should retain so much muscular 

 power when separated from the body, is won- 



