INVEBTEBRATA, CRYPTOGAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 899 



At the distal end, the protoplasm contained bodies much larger 

 than the nuclei, the smaller of which consisted of mere vacuolated 

 protoplasm, while the larger were composed of granular protoplasm 

 with a nucleus ; none possessed a cell-membrane. There was evidence 

 that these egg-like bodies multiply by division. They agree with the 

 " ova " figured by Haeckel, and are of quite the same nature as the 

 nucleated germs of some Foraminifera. 



The protoplasm itself " has the appearance of being built up by a 

 meshwork of fine fibrillte, or, to j)ut it in another way, appears to 

 consist of denser substance, honeycombed by very small ' vacuoles,' 

 or spaces of less dense substance." 



The external protoplasm, first seen by Saville Kent, was observed 

 in some of the preserved specimens, having been fixed by the chromic 

 acid in the " streaming " condition on some of the spicules. Nuclei 

 were sometimes found imbedded in it, so that these evidently are 

 carried out of the test in the stream of protoplasm. 



Professor Lankester concludes as follows : — " From the preceding 

 account it appears that the structure of Ealiphysema is not quite so 

 simple as that which has been supposed to characterize the body-sub- 

 stance of the Lituolida. It seems to me very possible that we shall 

 continually find among the larger members of the various groups of 

 organisms classed as ' Foraminifera ' as high a structural differentiation 

 as that exhibited by any of the naked fresh-water forms of Gymno- 

 myxa (Ehizopoda), such as Pelomyxa, Chlamydomyxa, and Actino- 

 sphcvrium. Possibly when means are taken to overcome the difficulties 

 of observation presented by their opaque and resisting shells, the larger 

 ' Foraminifera " may prove not only to be nucleated, but to be as 

 highly organized (though not in the same way) as the Kadiolaria." 



Professor Lankester seems to doubt Mr. Kent's suggestion that the 

 organisms from which Haeckel's beautiful figures of Haliplujsema were 

 taken, are " remarkable isomorphs or external facsimiles of the Fora- 

 miniferal type." 



Observations on New Infusoria.* — Dr. Aug. Gruber gives a 

 short preliminary notice of some new forms, which appear to be of 

 great interest, and of which he promises more elaborate details. 



Three of the new forms occupied ramified tubes ; these creatures 

 are called Stychotriclm socialis, Ozytricha tubicola, and Maryna socialis 

 (gen. nov. et sp. nov.) ; the two former belong to the hypotrichous, and 

 the third to the holotrichous division of the Infusoria : the author 

 points out that they exhibit considerable analogies to the colonial 

 forms described by Stein as existing among the Flagellata. Tillina 

 magna (n. g. et n. sp.) exhibits the same processes of division as were 

 observed by Stein in Colpoda cucullus. The two new marine forms 

 which belong to the genus Cothwnia (Vorticellidae) are respectively 

 remarkable, (1) C. socialis for a very primitive mode of forming 

 colonies — the new individuals formed by fission always remain 

 attached by their long stalk to the investments of the older forms, 

 and they are all remarkable also for the formation of a special peri- 

 stomial operculum; (2) in C. operculata there is also an oiierculum 

 * ' Zool. ABzeiger,' ii. (1879) p. 518. 



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