86 MARVELS OF POND-LIFE. 



Eotifer, the flesh of which was fast disappearing, 

 but upon being examined with a power of nine 

 hundred and sixty diameters, it was observed to 

 swarm with extremely minute vihriones^ the largest 

 only appearing under that immense magnification 

 like chains of bluish green globules, not bigger than 

 the heads of minikin pins, while the smallest were 

 known by a worm-like wriggling, although their 

 structure could not be defined. These vibriones are 

 probably members of the vegetable world, and they 

 always appear when animal matter undergoes pu- 

 trefaction. 



M. Pasteur has recently brought forward elaborate 

 experiments to shew that the development of the 

 yeast plant is an act correlative to alcoholic fermen- 

 tation, and in like manner the growth of vibriones 

 may stand in correlation to putrefactive decompo- 

 sition. 



Ehrenberg considered them animals, and fancied 

 he detected in them a plurality of stomachs; but 

 the vegetable theory is the more probable, at any 

 rate of the species under our notice, which is often 

 seen, though not always so minute. 



At this time two interesting animalcules were 

 very plentiful — the Eiiplotes patella^ and Stylonichia^ 

 both remarkable as exhibiting an advance in organ- 

 ization, which approximates them to the higher 

 animals. In addition to cilia they possess styles^ 



