562 Transactions of the Society. 



(PI. XIV., Fig. 1) with those of Claparede and Lachmann will be 

 disputed, as both the figures and descriptions prove it, with one or 

 two exceptions which are not essential. Thus, as to parasitism, 

 I did not find mine on the Ejpistylis, but on filamentous algae : 

 neither have I seen the faint outline of any embryo as described by 

 them. 



Having placed my first find in a small zoophyte trough, for 

 the purpose of daily watching it, I soon noticed that the sides of 

 the glass were covered with very much smaller bodies than those 

 on the algse, and, though having the same Acineta-like character, 

 were much more varied in form as well as being very transparent 

 (see Figs. 2, 2a, and 3). These were very interesting objects of 

 observation, as one could plainly see the contractile vesicles, the 

 suctorial character of the tentacles, and their slowly spiral move- 

 ment of protrusion and retraction. They were not of slow growth, 

 but came suddenly as though a vesicle or similar body had been 

 ruptured and its contents shot forth, which coming in contact 

 with the glass would produce just the appearance noted. The 

 contractile vesicles were similarly irregular, both as to position and 

 number. In fact, it was impossible to find any two bodies alike 

 in shape or organic differentiation. Only one common character 

 pervaded them, they were all bright, shining patches, semi-fluid, 

 transparent, and acinetiform. 



As the winter advanced the pseudopodia or tentacles disap- 

 peared, and also the contractile vesicles and other signs of active 

 life, leaving only small lumps and patches of what may be called 

 protoplasm. These had nothing of the appearance which death 

 produces. They were simply bits of quiescent matter, looking 

 more like shining crystals than anything else. 



I had not expected to be able to make any further observations 

 until another season, when the following incident attracted my 

 attention. I had given some of the algae to my friend Mr. Cocks, 

 with the animal forms on it in abundance, which he placed in his 

 aquarium. This he has recently found to be covered with the 

 very beautiful forms represented in Figs. 4 and 5, or in other 

 words by Podophrya quadrijKcrtita. On seeing these at first, and 

 taking note of similarity in some points notwithstanding difierences 

 in others, my suspicions as to tlieir being the same were mate- 

 rially strengthened, if not confirmed, by comparison with one form 

 which I had drawn last November (Fig. 6). This was found with 

 the others, but not presenting the same special appearance, I had 

 not considered it in its true character ; and my view now is, that as 

 in all forms of life some few more vigorous, or favoured by other 

 circumstances, will remain after the majority have passed away, so 

 these solitary individuals remained. There can be no doubt, I think, 

 of the identity with Figs. 4 and 5. 



