16 ZOOPHYTES. 



ted their cells, and were traversing the element at large. Many remain- 

 ed below and on the sides of the vessel ; but many had ascended, forming 

 a belt around much of its internal circumference. By far the greater pro- 

 portion, almost the whole, demonstrated an evident propensity to seek the 

 light, by the influence of which they had been undoubtedly stimulated to 

 forsake their original abode so speedily. The motion of the water having 

 carried up thousands to the curve formed by it with the side of the vessel, 

 whereon they were in danger of being left to dry, I swept them off with a 

 feather, to which they adhered by a tenacious glairy matter, until sinking 

 it, they gradually liberated themselves and swam away. — Figs. 4, 5, 6. 



In six hours this vast legion having descended to the bottom, ren- 

 dered it yellow by their multitude ; not one was to be discovered above, 

 though many were moving to and fro below. 



That the period when the corpuscula or gemmules should become mo- 

 tionless might be correctly ascertained, I removed the Flustra. Next day 

 all had concentrated in a reddish coloured belt at the bottom of the vessel. 

 Some were in motion forty-eight hours from removal of the specimen ; 

 absolute quiescence prevailed in seventy-two, the colour of the accumu- 

 lated multitude being then very vivid. But the water was vitiated by so 

 much animal matter in such limited space, which rendered farther obser- 

 vation abortive. 



While remaining imbedded in the cells, the corpuscula are grey, 

 brownish, or of reddish orange colour — the last their most common and 

 permanent hue. They seem to require a considerable time for maturity ; 

 also their abode, for some time at least, is spontaneous ; because it is im- 

 probable that above ten thousand such beings should have all attained 

 perfection so as to admit their issuing forth as suddenly as above narrated ; 

 likewise they continue escaping during entire weeks, which seems deci- 

 sive of the fact. 



Part of a leaf subjected to the microscope exposed a single large 

 corpusculum in each of many cells as usual. — Fig. 3. Several abandoned 

 their site during inspection, and pursuing a regular course over the sur- 

 face until free of it, swam away amidst the water. 



Here their motions, in all possible variety, have appeared more 



