IIO ROMANCE OF LOW LIFE AMONGST PLANTS. 



become a stiffened cyst, with a more delicate one 

 within, assumes a slightly conical form, which, giving 

 way by a circular aperture at the apex, allows the 

 granules to pass into the water, when they are seen 

 to be monociliated monads ; each consisting, appa- 

 rently, of a film of protoplasm expanded over an 

 oil-globule, and bearing a single cilium. The con- 

 tents of the tubular form, on the other hand, undergo 

 the same changes, but the tube becomes dilated in a 

 pear-shape within the Spirogyra-ceW ; and when the 

 monads are ready to lead an independent existence, 

 the end of the papillary eminence, which has been 

 projected some little distance beyond the cell wall 

 into the water, gives way, and thus they also escape, 

 " In another form of this tubular extension, the 

 inner delicate cyst expands into a flask-like or 

 globular shape beyond the papillary eminence, out- 

 side the cell wall, and retains the protoplasmic con- 

 tents here until they arc ultimately developed into 

 monads. These, which are much larger than the 

 monads developed by the other processes, on issuing 

 move about rapidly for some time, by the aid of a 

 strong cilium carried in front, like that of Astasia, 

 and then become stationary ; the 'contracting vesicle' 

 which does not appear before they leave the c)st, 

 now becomes very active, the cilium is gradually 

 diminished in size and altogether disappears, and 

 the monad passes into a rhizopodous, reptant state, 

 which afterwards becomes actinophorous, and finally 

 assumes a form undistinguishable from that of Acti- 

 nophrys sol" 



Up to this point Carter had been able to follow this 



