PROTOZOAN STUDIES 



BY 



J. F. McCLENDON 



With Two Plates 



While studying the Protozoa under Dr. H. S. Jennings in 1904- 

 1905 I was impressed by the number of the theories relating to 

 the physiology of these minute organisms and began to devise 

 experiments with a view to testing some of the theories. With- 

 out attempting to draw very general conclusions from these experi- 

 ments it is hoped that they will at least suggest further problems 

 and make clearer the fact that Protozoa are very complex organ- 

 isms. Not until quantitative studies of several forms are made 

 will the physiology of the Protozoa be understood as clearly as 

 that of the higher vertebrates. We cannot until then be sure of 

 the significance of reactions such as are described in this paper 

 and for this reason they are not fully discussed. 



I. REACTIONS OF AMCEBA PROTEUS TO MINUTELY LOCALIZED 



STIMULI^ 



The reactions of Amoeba to various stimuli have been described 

 by various writers, but with the aid of the apparatus shown in 

 Figs. I and 2 a more precise localization was possible.^ As has 

 been the case with other studies on Protozoa, so here, a detailed 

 study reveals complexities comparable with those found in higher 

 organisms. 



Mechanical Stimulation 



Amoebae were stimulated with an extremely fine glass needle. 

 The time was counted with a metronome and distances measured 



' These experiments were made at Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va., in 1907. 

 2 To any one wishing to have apparatus like this made I would be glad to furnish descriptions or 

 other data. 



The Journal of Experimental Zoology, vol. vi, no. 2. 



