INVEUTEBRATA, CRYPTOGAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 901 



rapidly ou the surface of the hernia-like extrusions of protoplasm." 

 No filamentous pseuclopoclia were observed. 



The characters of the nuclei and cuticle are quite peculiar, and 

 altogether Lithamceba takes. Professor Lankester considers, a very 

 distinct position among the amoeboid Gymnomyxa. 



New Moneron.* — M. Schneider describes a new form of this 

 interesting group under the name of Monobia confluens, which he has 

 found in fresh water. 



In its simplest form, in a state of repose, it forms a small and 

 almost spherical mass of fine granular protoplasm, which has a bluish 

 hue by transmitted light, and is provided with neither nucleus nor 

 vacuole (Plate XXYI , Fig. 1). From this homogeneous body radiate 

 in all directions pseudopodia of extreme delicacy, and about four 

 times as long as it, and so transparent and fine as to be almost invisible 

 but for the small swellings, which are placed here and there on them, 

 and which refract the light more strongly. These pseudopodia are 

 rectilinear, move slowly and coalesce tit their extremities, so that they 

 recalled to the author the similar processes in the Furaminifera. 



When the creatures become active they lose their spherical form 

 and move about by a general contraction of their bodies. The form 

 which they then take varies much less than in other Protozoa ; it is 

 usually that of a Savoy biscuit inflated at the ends and slightly con- 

 tracted in the middle, the extremities being the seat of the emission 

 of the pseudopodia (Fig. 4). Sometimes they become triangular, when 

 the pseudopodia radiate from each apex ; or, again, they may become 

 much more irregular and give off processes from every protuberance 

 (Figs. 3 and 5). 



The creature was never observed taking in food, but foreign 

 bodies were often observed in somewhat great numbers in its interior, 

 and these were sometimes contained in a vacuole of digesting matter, 

 though no proper contractile vacuole was ever present. 



When nutrition has effected a considerable increase in the size of 

 the body, growth gives place to reproduction, which is thus effected : 

 the body elongates and there appears a central constriction, which, 

 getting narrower and narrower, finally disappears altogether, so that 

 there are two individuals instead of one ; but this does not happen 

 very frequently ; in most cases the two spheres remain united 

 (Fig. 2), and a second means of communication between them, parallel 

 to the former, is often effected by the fusion of two of their pseudo- 

 podia. As often as this relation is established, the bond of union 

 widens by afilux of plasma and the granules of each body pass into 

 that of the other, and the process thus begun may be continued until 

 at last we may get an association of eight, as shown in Fig, 7 ; nor 

 do the variations end here, for as M. Schneider expresses it, " the 

 next day each member of the colony had pulled upon the common 

 cord and a new resultant had been produced from these opposite 

 capjices. My Monera were now grouped as drawn in Fig. 8, in a 

 square surmounted by a triangle, the latter surmounted by an arrow." 



* ' Arcli. Zool. Exp.' (Lacaze-Duthiers), vii. (1878) p. 585. Fig. 6 of the Plate 

 id not described in the text. 



