• Reprodmtive Bodies of some Klgce. 307 



swam about, and were frequently pursued and devoured by 

 other Infusoria. 



It is worthy of remark, that Agardh does not mention hav- 

 ing observed any such motion in the globules ; neither does 

 Mr. Bauer : and Dr. Greville, who has published a very full 

 history and analysis of the plant in his Cnjptogamic Flora, 

 did not perceive it. The appearance of vitality, therefore, in 

 this instance, was probably owing to some illusion. 



The most precise observations ever made upon this curious 

 subject, are the recent ones by M. Franz Unger, of whose 

 account it may be desirable to give a translation in his own 

 words. In this country, the very idea of such metamorphoses 

 is almost startling; and, at first, will probably be regarded as 

 visionary, and rejected accordingly. I trust, however, the 

 present article will have the effect of inducing a few indivi- 

 duals, at least, to commence a series of observations for them- 

 selves. 



" I found," says M. Franz Unger, " near Vienna, in a ditch 

 containing some clear water derived from the recent melting 

 of the snow, a Conferva, which, after cleansing from the clay 

 which surrounded it, I deposited in a glass vase, and placed 

 in a window, where I could observe without disturbing it. 

 This was on the 5th of March, 1826. Two days afterwards, 

 I noticed the production of a crowd of new ramuli, several 

 lines in height, and rising from the general mass like a fine 

 green miniature sward. On the 9th, these filaments produced 

 fructification in the form of a darker green globule at their 

 summits, by which I knew my plant to be the Conferva dila- 

 tata var. /3 of Roth, or the Ectosperma clavata of Vaucher. 



" As I continued my observations, I happened to look at 

 the surface of the water, and was not a little astonished to find 

 it covered, especially towards the side of the vase, with minute 

 globules, unequal both in colour and size. Many of them 

 swam freely here and there, moving, at their option, in one way 

 or another, retiring and approaching one another, gliding 

 round globules that were motionless, stopping, and again 

 setting themselves in motion exactly like animated beings. 



" Conjecturing the identity of the green globules that pos- 

 sessed motion with those that had none, I immediately began 

 to examine whence these irifusory animalcules derived their 

 origin, and what relation they bore to the green globules and 

 the fructification of the Conferva. 



" The next day I perceived a great number of the globules 

 aggregated around the bubbles of gas disengaged from the Con- 

 ferva, and floating at the surface. They were some of them 

 of a dark green colour, and either round or elongated ; others 



Y 2 



