CONJUGATION OF ACTINOPHRYS SOL. 95 



not see, either the beginning or, in fact, the complete ending. Nor 

 do other observers, as far as I am aware, appear to have been more 

 fortunate. If fission, it can be understood by analogy, but if con- 

 jugation, I shall be able to show you that it has another and a very 

 different issue. 



On the following day I made another observation, and one by 

 far the most interesting, and to which I especially direct your at- 

 tention. This time I took care to avoid untimely evaporation, 

 and placed the water upon the capillary tablet. 



In this instance, I was attracted by noticing that an apparent 

 change was taking place in two individuals in the act of conjuga- 

 tion. I remarked that the tentacular processes were being with- 

 drawn, and that a more intimate union of the two coalescing bodies 

 was taking place. Having satisfied myself of the fact, I made a 

 drawing of this stage. (Fig. 10.) It was 4 o'clock p.m., and I 

 watched the object from time to time until 7 o'clock, when scarcely 

 a vestige of any of the processes were visible, and the two bodies 

 had become one, ovate in form, but still retaining a mark of separa- 

 tion. (Fig. 11.) Half an hour afterwards there was but little of 

 such mark left (Fig. 12), aud three hours after that, viz., at 10.30 

 p.rn., it was one circular mass, with but a slight remnant of the 

 tentacular processes ; all had been withdrawn. (Fig. 13.) On the 

 following morning at 8 o'clock there was but little apparent dif- 

 ference, only that neither processes nor retractile vesicle were now 

 visible. About half an hour afterwards, I noticed a slight fidgetty 

 movement going on in the interior of the substance, like as if some 

 nrinutebodies were endeavouring to escape, which gradually increased 

 until they burst forth, (Fig. 14), having arapid gyrating movement, 

 which, as they came into focus, showed them to be ovate in form, and of 

 a dirty yellow colour ; but whether ciliated or not I could not detect. 

 They poured forth so rapidly, and in such numbers, as to fill the 

 field of the microscope, until at length a pellucid envelope seemed to 

 burst, portions being protruded at each end, which spread out 

 exactly as an amoeba ; indeed, anyone would then have imagined it to 

 have been that organism. This took place at 9.30 (Fig. 15) ; a short 

 time afterwards the operation ceased ; the portions protruded like 

 pseudopodia were withdrawn again into the substance, which now 

 became quiescent, but was very different in appearance and 

 character. It seemed to be a circular mass of coarse granules, 

 without any sign of life, and of a rough irregular outline, and had 



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