1883.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 313 



BEPRODUCTION IN AMPHILEPTUS FASCIOLA. 

 BY ANDREW S. PARKER, M. D., PH. D. 



Several years ago, while examining some Infusoria, I noticed a 

 specimen of AvvpMleptus fasciola undergoing some curious 

 changes, the nature of which, at that time, I did not fully appre- 

 ciate, supposing them to be due to the dissolution of the animal. 

 Recently I observed the same series of phenomena occurring in 

 another individual, and on tracing them out more fully I found 

 that they were due, not to the death of the infusorian, but to what 

 I believe is a method of reproduction not hitherto obserA-ed, or at 

 least not described, in this group. My attention, in both instances, 

 was attracted by a peculiar oscillating movement, the Amphileptiis 

 rocking from side to side, the animal remaining stationary, 

 although its cilia were in active motion. In other respects the 

 animal appeared normal, no changes being observed in its nucleus, 

 protoplasmic contents or contractile vesicle. Shortly after I had 

 noticed this peculiar rocking movement I found that the elongated 

 extremity was breaking up into small masses of protoplasm ; 

 these graduallj^ separated from the parent body, and each of them 

 exhibited distinct amo?boid movements. Although the cilia 

 seemed to break off with the small masses, I could not detect 

 any signs of their presence after separation. For about five 

 minutes small protoplasmic masses, exhibiting distinct and inde- 

 pendent amoeboid movements, continued to be shed. 



The rocking movement still continued, but now commenced to 

 show signs of being converted into a movement of rotation. 

 Finally a rotary motion was established, and the animal com- 

 menced? to change its position. At the same time I noticed a 

 distinct elongation occurring at the end where the changes 

 described above had taken place, a rounded projection appearing, 

 which gradually elongated, until finally, in the course of about 

 two hours, the individual had assumed its original shape and 

 activity, although apparently somewhat diminished in bulk. 

 Cilia covered the new growth, but they did not seem to be a new 

 formation, but were produced by a simple elongation of the 

 ectosarc, this being carried forward by the growing endosarc. As 

 regards the protoplasmic masses that were shed or discharged, I 

 observed them for about four hours,' at which time they were still 

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