Marvels of Pond-Life. 51 



By the 18th of the month the Vorticellids were much 

 more plentiful, and their changes easily watched ; many 

 left their stalks while under the microscope, after which 

 some rushed about like animated and demented hats, 

 others twirled round like tee-to-tums, while others took 

 a rest before commencing their wild career. But the 

 common Vorticellse were not the only or the most in- 

 teresting representations of their charming order, for 

 upon some threads of conferva were descried several 

 elegant crystal vases standing upon short foot- stalks, 

 and containing little creatures that jumped up and down 

 like " Jack in the box." These were so minute, that a 

 power of four hundred and thirty linear was advan- 

 tageously brought to bear upon them. "When elongated 

 their bodies were somewhat pear-shaped, but more 

 slender, and variegated with vacuoles and particles of 

 food. The mouths resembled those of Vorticellae, and 

 put forth circles of vibrating cilia. They were easily 

 alarmed, when the cilia were retracted, and down they 

 sank to the bottom of their vases, quickly to rise again. 

 In one bottle there were two living in friendly juxta- 

 position. This was not a case of matrimonial felicity, 

 nor of Siamese twins, but of fission, or reproduction by 

 division. The original inhabitant of the tube finding 

 himself too fat, or impelled by causes we do not under- 

 stand, quietly divided himself in two, and as the house 

 was big enough, no enlargement was required. How 

 many stout puffy gentlemen must envy this process ; 

 how convenient to have two thin lively specimens of 

 humanity made out of one too obese for locomotion. 

 Man is, however, sometimes the victim of his superior 



