CHAPTER X. 



OCTOBER. 



October, the finest of our autumn months, is 

 noted for usually granting the inhabitants of our 

 dripping climate about twenty pleasant sunshiny 

 days, and it is probably on this account somewhat 

 of a favourite with the infusorial world, although the 

 cold of its nights and early mornings thins their 

 numbers, which reach a maximum in the summer 

 heat. Even in the dismal year 1860, October 

 maintained its character, and afforded a great many 

 opportunities of animalcule hunting, during which 

 a constant supply of Stephanoceri were readily ob- 

 tained, together with swarms of Sfentors^ which are 

 not exceeded in interest by any of the Ciliated 

 Protozoa. The Stentors were abundant on the same 

 weed (Anacharis^) that formed the residence of the 

 Stephanoceri, and might be seen in large numbers 

 hanging from it like green trumpets, visible to the 

 unassisted eye. They belong to the Vorticella family, 

 which has already given us several beautiful objects. 



