610 



SYSTEMATIC HISTOEY OF THE INFUSOEIA. 



The doubt expressed concerning the existence of a mouth as described by 

 Ehrenberg, has been removed by later observations. 



The variability of form of which the Lacrymarice are capable was noticed by 

 Baker and other old observers, and suggested the appellation Proteus, origiaally 

 bestowed on them. Perty has made use of this peculiarity to constitute a 

 section of Cihated Protozoa, which he has named " Metabolica." Besides 

 Lacn/maria, it includes TracJielocerca, these two genera being combined into 

 a faroily, '' Ophiyocercina." His genus TracJielocerca, however, is not equi- 

 valent to the one so named by Ehrenberg, since it also comprises the species 

 of Pliialiim enumerated by that author. This employment of a recognized 

 systematic term with a wider signification than that originally given to it, 

 cannot be commended ; and, as Perty makes no attempt to define the differ- 

 ential characters between the two genera as understood by himself, we regard 

 his family Ophryocercina as imsatisfactory. The Phialince he considers only 

 young or contracted examples of one or other genus. (See Phialina and 



TjiACHELOCEECA.) 



nor an enlargement is observ^able near 

 the mouth. 1-570": including neck, 

 1-288". 



L. versatilis (Duj.) (^TricJwda vei'satilis, 

 M.). — Fusifonn ; neck retractile^ ciliated 

 beneath, shorter than in L. Proteus, which 

 it is fm'ther imlike by having the body 

 pointed posteriorly, and by living in sea- 

 water. 



Perty declares this is not an independ- 

 ent species, but only the immatm-e fonn 

 of Trachelocerca Olor (Ehr.). 



L. tornatilis, — Neck retractile, some- 

 times disappearing entirely, presenting 

 then only the cilia crowning its exti'e- 

 mity. 



L. farcta. — Flask-shaped, with a short 

 neck. In ditch-water about Paris. 

 1-260". 



Lacry]maria Proteus (TricJioda Pro- 

 teus, M.) (xxiv. 274, 275).— Oblong, tm-- 

 gid, with delicate transverse folds. Colour 

 varies from grey to green. The neck is 

 capable of considerable extension. It 

 resembles Trachelocerca Olor; but its 

 posterior extremity is rounded, and has 

 at its centre the discharging orifice. Re- 

 productive organs unknown. Amongst 

 Lemn?e. Size stretched out 1-140". 



L. Gutta. — Body smooth and nearly 

 spherical, with a very long neck. Perty 

 discovered a tongue-like process above 

 the mouth in some examples. Among 

 Confervae. Size 1-1150" j including 

 neck, 1-210". 



L. rugosa. — Nearly globidar, and 

 wrinkled ; the neck of medium length ; 

 granules green. In swimming, it often 

 revolves on its long axisj neither cilia 



Genus LEUCOPHRYS (XXIV. 276, 277, 278, 279, 280).— Covered with 

 vibratile cilia ; mouth obhque, terminal, without teeth. From the obhquity 

 of the mouth, there is the appearance of an upper lip. The cilia which cover 

 the body are short and disposed in rows ; those aroimd the mouth are longer, 

 and produce very powerful ciu-rents. In swimming, aU the species revolve 

 upon the longer axis. A serpentine alimentary canal, with more than fifty 

 grape-like stomach-cells (XXIV. 276), terminating at the opposite extremity 

 to the mouth, is described by Ehrenberg ; in some, one or two globidar nuclei 

 and a contractile vesicle are seen. Self- division transverse and longitudinal. 



Leucoplirys forms, in the system of Dujardin, with Sj)athiclium and Opalina, 

 the family ^' Leucophryens," characterized by having " an oval or oblong de- 

 pressed body, covered Avith cilia densely but regularly disposed ; mouth not 

 evident ; foreign solid particles are not to be found in the vacuoles ; hence 

 probably these animals hve only by absorption. Most of them are parasitic 

 TN-ithin Annehda and Batrachia, and soon perish in pure water, like Helmin- 

 thoid (tape) worms." Dujardin says, ^' It is to the genus Bursaria that Ehi'en- 

 berg has transferred most of the true Leucophryens, in conjunction with 

 other Infusoria ha\4ng a very distinct mouth," (See Opalin^a, p. 569.) 



Dujardin's characters of Leucophrys are : — " Body depressed, oval or oblong, 



