664 RECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATINQ TO 



Vampyrella lateritia,*— A winter in the 'American Journal of 

 Microscopy ' details some observations which he made on this 

 Rhizopod. The animal is in colour reddish-yellow, in general 

 appearance much like the common sun-animalcule, Actinoplirys sol, 

 but larger, more active in its movements, and with the power to change 

 its form with greater facility. Dr. Leidy's description of it is : — 

 "Animal usually ^c/mop/irv/s-like, with a soft spheroidal body, capable 

 of amoeboid variations of form, composed of pale, colourless, granular 

 jn'otoplasm, with abundance of colouring matter, oil-like molecules, 

 and vacuoles. Pseudopods as Actino])ln-ys-\\\e rays, Acineta-\\ke 

 rays, and digit-like, lobate, or wave-like expansions." 



Amongst other details the author says that he saw one individual make 

 its way rapidly across the field of view, and seeming as though some 

 innate knowledge, some rational impulse, were guiding it, for without 

 hesitation the little mass of living jelly passed directly to a filament 

 of Spirogyra longata to which it became attached, withdrawing a 

 portion ot its rays for the purpose, and conforming itself to the shape 

 of the plant surface. There it had the apj)earance of resting, stoj^ping 

 the flow of protoplasmic droj)s along the rays jixst where each one 

 haiipened to be. This was at nine o'clock. One minute later, the 

 first turn of the chlorophyll band within the cell suddenly fell down. 

 In another minute the second turn followed ; in three minutes, the 

 entire cell-contents were loose and slowly gliding toward the Vam- 

 pyrella which was sucking them in. At five minutes past nine the 

 cell was empty, and the animal moving to the next. Here the same 

 operation was repeated. In its third excursion it placed itself across 

 tlie partition between two cells, and preceded to imbibe the contents 

 «f both at once. From one the chlorophyll bands were loosened and 

 dragged out in a long strip, while in the other they were broken down 

 into a homogenous green mass and quietly sipped out, the Vampyrella 

 visibly swelling. It was not until seven cells were emptied that its 

 appetite was satisfied. A repetition of this was seen in the case of 

 another individual. The creature must, the author thinks, have the 

 power to secrete a fluid capable of dissolving the cellulose, and of 

 acting upon the chlorophyll and protoplasm within the Alga, besides 

 its very evident ability to remove the latter without first dragging 

 tliem out, or surrounding them Amoeba fashion. When the seventh 

 cell had been cleaned out the Vampyrella transferred itself to a fila- 

 ment of another species of the same genus, where it again rested, but 

 did not feed, with two short blunt pseudopods protruding as if 

 clinging to the plant. 



Two days later the field contained a cyst presenting three very 

 distinct lines dividing it into as many parts. Almost as soon as seen, 

 the VampyrellcB began to escape, two making their exit at opposite 

 sides simultaneously, the third which the sac contained following 

 through one of the apertures already made. The process was a rapid 

 one. A thick colourless pseudopod appeared first. Hardly did it 

 touch the wall before the opening was made. The ray-like pseudopods 

 were protruded before one-third of the animal had escaped. Many 

 * 'Am. Joiirn. Micr.,' v. (ISSO) j). 105. 



