118 MARVELS OF POND-LIFE. 



of two liiiiidred linear, which disclosed swarms of 

 hrilliant green globes, amongst which w^re a good 

 sprinkle of minute creatures, like the Evglenw already 

 described, and wdiose little red eyes contrasted vividly 

 with the prevailing emerald hue. 



One of the liigher infusoria, whose species I could 

 not identify, was devouring them like a porpoise 

 among sprats. It did not, however, exhibit any 

 sense in its hungry career; it moved about in all 

 directions, gulping down what came in its way, 



but often permitting the escape of the little green 

 things that were almost in its mouth. The little 

 globes rolled and whirled about without the faintest 

 indication of a purpose, and without exhibiting any 

 instrument wdth which their locomotion was effected. 

 To find out how this w^as done, a higher powder was 

 used, and from their extreme minuteness an ampli- 

 fication of seven hundred and twenty linear w^as 

 conveniently employed, although a lower one (three 

 or four hundred) disclosed the secret by shewing 



