DESCRIPTION OF A MONERON. 1 85 



Radiolarla which inhabit the fine calcareous mud of these 

 abysses, the Bathybius is found in great quantities, some- 

 times in the shape of roundish, formless lumps of mucus, 

 sometimes in the form of a network of mucus, covering 

 fragments of stone and other objects. Small particles of 

 chalk are frequently embedded in these mucous gelatinous 

 masses, and are, perhaps, products of their secretion. The 

 entire body of this remarkable Bathybius consists solely of 

 shapeless plasma, or protoplasm, as in the case of the other 

 Monera— 'that is, it consists of the same albuminous com- 

 bination of carbon, which in infinite modifications is found 

 in all organisms, as the essential and never-failing seat of 

 the phenomena of life. I have given a detailed description 

 and drawing of the Bathybius and other Monera in my 

 "Monographic der Moneren," 1870,^^ from which the draw- 

 ing in Fig. 9 is taken. 



In a state of rest most Monera appear as small globules of 

 mucus or slime, invisible, or nearly so, to the naked eye ; 

 they are at most as large as a pin's head. When the 

 Moneron moves itself, there are formed on the upper surface 

 of the little mucous globule, shapeless, fingerlike processes, 

 or very fine radiated threads ; these are the so-called false 

 feet, or pseudopodia. The false feet are simple, direct 

 continuations of the shapeless albuminous mass, of wdiich 

 the whole body consists. We are unable to perceive 

 different parts in it, and we can give a direct proof of the 

 absolute simplicity of the semi-fluid mass of albumen, for 

 with the aid of the microscope we can follow the Moneron 

 as it takes in nourishment. When small particles suited 

 for its nourishment — for instance, small particles of decayed 

 organic bodies or microscopic plants and infusoria — acci- 



