CONJUGATION OF ACTINOPHRYS SOL. 97 



part of the phenomenon, although some may have somewhat incor- 

 rectly described it. Stein, Kolliker, and Mr. Weston all maintain 

 that there is a reproduction in " Actinophrys" by " germs." That 

 the minute ovate bodies were living beings there cannot be the 

 smallest doubt ; what their development is remains a problem, to 

 be solved, I hope, by some members of the Quekett Club. 



Now, then, as to what is called " fission." The separation of two 

 individuals, such as I have described, seems to be the same pheno- 

 menon that some eminent observers have termed " fission." If so, 

 the term " conjugation" must not be applied here. But my observa- 

 tion gives us no proof, as I did not see the commencement of the 

 phenomenon, and it is a point well worth the attention of our 

 numerous members. The difficulties in the investigation, and the 

 diversities of opinion, arise from observers not seeing the beginning 

 and the end. If the instance I have given of separation was after 

 conjugation, it would show gemmation as a result, for a gemmule 

 was developing itself. If, on the contrary, one of the separating 

 bodies was already developed from gemmation, it would settle one 

 question — viz., as to whether gemmation was indeed one result of 

 conjugation ? Nothing that I have seen written is at all satisfac- 

 tory on this head, and my hope is in our numerous observers, and 

 that there may be many present whose researches may throw light 

 upon this interesting question. 



The phenomena of gemmation and fission, as also of conjugation 

 and of embryonic germs, if the ovate bodies I have mentioned come 

 under that denomination, is witnessed in many organisms directly 

 allied to the Actinophrys Sol; it would surely, then, be mostunphilo- 

 sophical to deny either of the phenomena to be a part of the life 

 history of this organism. 



Whilst upon the subject, I may mention that a writer in the Trans- 

 action of the Microscopic Society* (Mr. Boswell) has asserted that 

 the power of suddenly taking a leap exists in the Actinophryina. I 

 do not believe this can be said of the Actinophrys Sol, for out of 

 hundreds of examples I have never witnessed a single act of rapid 

 motion. But there are organisms so very similar in appearance, 

 that may or may not be (I believe they are) classified under the 

 Actinophryina. One of these I have figured, of a pearly grey 

 colour, found in Swanscombe Marsh, having very short but much 

 more numerous processes than the Actinophrys Sol ; and this I have 



*1854 } p. 25. 



