CHAPTER XIX 



TECHNIQUES 



The unique combination of qualifications of Stentor mentioned 

 at the beginning and displayed throughout this review, may well 

 have intrigued the reader with the opportunities provided by this 

 animal for an integration of multiple approaches to a study of the 

 life and structure of the cell. He will also have become aware of 

 the evident gaps in our knowledge, and the need for pursuing 

 provocative suggestions or following hints in the literature to 

 demonstrated conclusions, as well as the value of confirming and 

 thus securing as a sound foundation many points not yet well 

 established. Above all, the special promise of the Stentor studies 

 should be carried to the level of theory on which new explanations 

 and general principles emerge; and for this task all the many past 

 investigations may be regarded as establishing only the beginnings. 

 It remains to connect the potential student of Stentor with this 

 organism through an account of methods, which are themselves 

 doubtless capable of much further refinement and expansion. 



I. Collecting 



Stentors are most likely to be found in large, permanent ponds 

 or lakes, but they also live in streams ; and the outflows of sewage 

 plants are not to be neglected. The collector may equip himself 

 with a set of cream cans of two-quart capacity and a kitchen 

 strainer fastened to a long handle. Keeping in mind that stentors 

 are usually attached, one gathers with minimum disturbance 

 samples of submerged and floating vegetation such as duckweed, 

 Spyrogyra mats, and dead cattail leaves which are placed in the 

 container. More vegetation is then scooped up with the strainer 

 and gently wrung out into the can until it is nearly filled. Attached 

 and loosened stentors are likely to be gathered in this way, with 

 sufl[icient natural medium to start a culture. Location of each 

 sample as a possible source should be noted on the container 



339 



