Oph7'l/(Una.'] INFrsOEIAL ANIMALCULEg. 545 



Dr. Stein says, (Archiv. fiir Natiirgeschichtc, 1849) that tlio 

 members of Vaglnkvla are not actually or necessarily without pedi- 

 cles, and cannot be rightly separated from Cothurnia. From the 

 tenor of his essay, it may be also gathered, that he regards Vagi- 

 nicola as a genus of the family VorticelUna. To the same indus- 

 ti'ious observer, we owe some very accurate researches into the 

 organization and reproduction of Vaginicola, which arc detailed in 

 the account of that genus. 



Genus Opheydium. The gelatinous I if tie bell Animalcules possess 

 a gelatinous lorica, and arc clustered (resembling gelatinous balls), 

 in consequence of perfect self-division of the body, but imperfect of 

 the lorica. This cii'cimistance gives rise to very peculiar external 

 appearances, for each body very frequently divides itself, the two 

 portions separating entirely ; the gelatinous lorica forming only a 

 separating wall. In this manner thousands and millions of connected 

 animal cells are quickly foi-med, appearing as gelatinous masses. 

 They resemble minute Algae of the genus JVostoc, and have been placed 

 with Ulva, Fucus, Conferva, &c., by different botanists. 



0. versatile {Trichoda inguillanus et Vorticella versatilis, M.) 

 — Has elongated corpuscles, attenuated at both ends, vividly green, 

 and associated in smooth and globular polypi clusters or masses, which 

 vary in size from that of a pea to that of a ball five inches in diameter; 

 they ai-e either free or attached. Ehrenberg states, that in May, 1837, 

 he saw himdrcds of clusters as large as the fist, which, by the 

 evolution of gas, were at intervals elevated to the surface, and driven 

 by the -wind to the edge of the water. Longitudinal self-division has 

 been seen by the same observer, and he is inclined to believe that 

 Schrank's representation of ti'ansverse division is erroneous ; figs. 2-19, 

 250, represent quarters as small globular masses of clustered animal- 

 cules not magnified. Figs. 251 and 252, parts of such a mass 

 magnified; and figs. 253 and 254 single animalcules, in the former 

 sti-etched out. Found in sea-water. Found by Bright^^•eU in fresh- 

 water, also in a small turf pit, upon tendrils of roots of marsh plants, 

 as also upon the stalks of the white water-lily. Length of sin"io 

 animalcule, stretched out, l-120th. 



Genus TiNTiNmrs. lite clapper little Ml Animalcules. — Dphrydina 

 which possess divisibility of the body, but not of the urccolate lorica ; 



