DEVELOPMENT OF ACTINO.PHRYS SOL. 107 



of an hour from the time when they are observed to touch, they 

 again become fused into the globular form, as shown in Fig. 6, 

 but much smaller than the original ones, and in this encysted state 

 they continue for some time. Now, at this stage a curious 

 phenomenon takes place; one of the group of eight that had become 

 encysted moves about in all directions among the others — sometimes 

 going a short distance from the rest, then returning to the group, 

 gliding between and around them, making use of hyaline processes 

 or pseudopodia, which are thrown out (Fig. 10). After wandering 

 about in this way for a time it will withdraw its pseudopodia, and 

 remain at rest for some time, then again move off in all directions, 

 these alternate movements and rests being continued for more than 

 forty-eight hours. 



The whole group of eight also move slightly, at times being seen 

 closer together, and then moving to a short distance. Fig. 1 1 shows 

 one in particular that had left the group, putting out many pro- 

 cesses, and moving at a quicker rate than usual, at the same time 

 retaining hold of the gelatinous substance surrounding the whole, 

 and so drawing them together in a heap, as though they were con- 

 nected by some means, when, by a sudden snap of the connecting 

 medium, they break away from the moving one, and fall back into 

 their original position, the active one still pursuing its way through 

 the water, continually changing the form of its pseudopodia, until 

 it appears as shown at Fig. 12, when it very much resembles that 

 figured in Prichard's Infusoria as Amceba bilimbosa, and, if seen by 

 itself, without knowing it to be produced from the encysted state 

 of Actinophrys, it would certainly be taken for Amceba bilimbosa. 

 Also at times there is a cloudy translucent matter (Fig. 13) 

 exuded from some of them, which does not appear to affect in any 

 way the surrounding envelope, nor to alter the density of colour in 

 the centre. It proceeds slowly from different parts, glides away in 

 various directions, and then becomes stationary ; and what appears 

 most strange, and to me inexplicable, is, that out of these cloudy 

 masses, are seen to issue minute globular bodies, which pass out of 

 the field of the microscope, and are lost. Also out of the same 

 cloudy matter I have seen Amoeban bodies proceed ; at one time it 

 has been like Amozba •princeps, beautifully clear and transparent, 

 with its moving granules, and two contractile vesicles ; at other 

 times it has been Amaiba porrecta, with its ^curious, delicate, and 

 numerous processes, and its fine granules, moving more quickly 



