290 RECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



the most highly-developed condition. A drop of water squeezed from 

 a little pinch of bog-moss has often yielded scores of half-a-dozen 

 genera and a greater number of species. Frequently, however, the 

 Sphagnum of many localities contains comparatively few Khizopods, 

 though I have rarely found them entirely absent from this moss. 

 Other mosses and liverworts I have not observed to be specially 

 favourite habitations of Khizopods, not even such aquatic kinds as the 

 Fontinalis." 



Collection of BMzopods. — " The mode I have habitually adopted for 

 collecting Ehizopods, which is also equally well adapted for collect- 

 ing many other microscopic organisms, plants, and animals, is as 

 follows : — 



" For ponds, ditches, or other waters, I use a small tin ladle or 

 dipper, such as is commonly employed for domestic purposes. Into 

 the handle I insert a stick of convenient length, and for this I usually 

 carry with me a jointed pole of two or three pieces, each about five feet. 

 The dipper is used by slowly skimming the edge along the bottom of 

 the water, so as to take up only the superficial portion of the ooze, 

 which is then gently raised from the water and transferred to a glass 

 jar. A small hole in the bottom of the ladle favours the retention of 

 the collected material, but care should be taken that it is not so large 

 as to permit the material to stream through. After the collecting jar 

 is full, if more of the material is wanted, after allowing that in the 

 bottle to settle, I pour off a portion of the water and supply an 

 additional quantity from the locality. 



" Usually I have proved more successful in obtaining Ehizopods 

 from the ooze near the shores of lakes and ponds than I have in 

 deeper water ; but this, I suspect, was mainly due to the circumstance 

 that near the shore I could see the ooze at the bottom of the water, 

 and could much better manage to collect the desired material. 



" Aquatic plants, if rooted in the mud, should be carefully cut off 

 and gently lifted from the water so as to disturb as little as possible 

 the adherent materials. A sufficient quantity being placed in a tin 

 preserving can or other vessel, water from other portions of the plants 

 may be squeezed uj)on that which is retained. 



" Wet Sphagnum may be collected and put in tin preserving cans, 

 and the water of other portions may be squeezed upon the portion 

 preserved. The same process may be pursued with other mosses. 



" From the surface of the ground in wet places to collect the 

 Ehizopods, it is sufficient to scrape up with the broad blade of a knife 

 the green algous material with which the animals are usually 

 associated." 



Endamoeba Blattae.* — The attention of Professor Leidy, while 

 perusing the communication of Professor Biitschli on Flagellata and 

 other related organisms,t was especially attracted by the description of 

 a parasitic amoeboid living in the intestine of the cockroach. It re- 

 called to mind that he had observed the same creature a number of years 

 ago, in association with the ciliated infusorian he had described as 



* ' Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.,' 1879, p. 204. 

 t ' Zeitschr. wiss. Zool.,' xxx. (1878) p. 205. 



