84 NATURAL HISTORY 



GENUS VII. 



PARAMAECIUM. 



The animalcules included in this genus are mem- 

 braneous, \ong, and rather flat. Ehrenberg supposes 

 these and the Kolpoda to be the same as the Monads and 

 Cyclidia, at a more advanced stage of their growth. 



142. Paramaecium chrysalis, — These interesting 

 creatures appear like milk-white specks to the naked eye. 

 They are soft, and yield to the pressure of any hard sub- 

 stance they may come in contact with. The body is long, 

 and in some positions the cuticle appears to have a 

 diagonal fold, as shewn in figure ^. The mouth aper- 

 ture is situated on the inferior side, near the middle, and 

 in some views it appears like a papillary projection, as 

 seen in figure 67- In good Microscopes the body is seen 

 covered with longitudinal rows of hair : by means of 

 these, the creature is enabled to produce a current in the 

 water towards its mouth. They propagate by transverse 

 division. 



These animalcules are well adapted for exhibiting the 

 structure of the alimentary organs, as they are of sufficient 

 magnitude to render the sacs clearly perceptible, when 

 filled with coloured particles. On the introduction of 



