1 68 The Field Naturalist 's Quarterly May 



British Field Zoology. 



By various Writers. 

 CHAPTER II. — THE PROTOZOA. 



By H. E. Forrest. 



Pond-hunting — Implements — Ovum — A cell — Amoeba — Where found and how — 

 How to examine— Locomotion — Functions of Relation — Functions of Nutrition — 

 Functions of Reproduction — No specialisation of function — Absence of sexes — 

 Rejuvenescence — Contractile vacuole — Nucleus — Plant and animal — The resting- 

 stage — Cyst — Diffusion in air. 



Having carefully studied the various aspects from which any animal 

 can be described, we are now in a position to commence the observation 

 of the simplest forms of life. Fortunately these forms are to be found 

 in abundance, without much trouble or the need of complicated appar- 

 atus for capturing or preserving them, so that every field naturalist has 

 equal opportunities for their study. The one necessity is a microscope, 

 and this instrument is now manufactured in such cheap form, and at the 

 same time quite good and reliable for field work, that no one interested 

 need be without one. The worker should also make a point of roughly 

 sketching in a note-book what is seen under the microscope, and so get 

 into the way of doing this habitually. It is of the greatest assistance in 

 remembering what is seen, and is also a permanent record available for 

 other purposes. 



Pond-hunting. — No better introduction to Field Zoology could be 

 found than the study of the creatures inhabiting our ponds and ditches. 

 Here are to be seen representatives of almost all the great classes of 

 the Animal Kingdom, from the lowly Amoeba (protozoon) to the Frog 

 (vertebrate metazoon). The study of " Pond-life " has this further 

 advantage, that wherever the student may reside, no difficulty will be 

 experienced in getting any quantity of material to work upon. A 

 microscope with two objectives — i-inch and i^-inch — will be required, 

 but beyond this the equipment for collecting is a very modest one : — 



i. A walking-stick. 



2. A small muslin net to fix on to end. 



3. A small wide-mouthed bottle to fix on to end. 



4. A few bottles and test-tubes. 



5. A small drag, with long string. 



I have found a combination of 2 and 3 most useful, made by cutting off 



