131 



live-box and allowed the water to evaporate, and thus succeeded in 

 preserving them, although in an imperfect degree, the two animal- 

 cules being, unfortunately, in contact, and consequently appearing as 

 one. They were, however, clearly visible, and although the prepa- 

 ration, as I may call it, was no* so satisfactory as might have been 

 wished, still a tolerable idea of this curious appearance might be 

 gathered from it. I may add that I was able, by extreme care, 

 to renew the water several times during the three days I had the 

 object under examination. I must also state, that in no other 

 instance did I perceive anything of the kind now described, although 

 I examined a great number of individuals ; and, I may perhaps ask, 

 whether any of the gentlemen who had portions of the same water, 

 saw any similar appearances in the specimens they examined ? 



I shall leave it to others, better informed on the subject than 

 myself, to account for the presence of these creatures within the 

 Volvox, as by the most careful examination, no opening could 

 be perceived by which they could have been introduced, neither did 

 there appear to be any viscera by which their motions might be 

 impeded, as they swam about as freely as fish in a glass globe, 

 to which, indeed, they bore no faint resemblance. 



