THE FORAMINIFERA. 63 
They move in all ways with the greatest rapidity. They are the 
feet and arms of these wonderful creatures; by their means they 
succeed in catching their prey. These filaments appear to contain 
something poisonous. Dr. Schultze noticed that the prey seized 
suddenly and entirely lost all movement as soon as it was touched 
by them. It is probable that thus the foraminifera live upon 
other animals. It is no mean wonder that these creatures, despite 
DISCORBINA. MILIOLA. 
the smallness of their size and slightness of their form, are 
unpitying flesh-eaters. The smallest, the weakest, the most 
microscopic animal in existence thus becomes, by means of a 
homeeopathic dose of poison, a most formidable destroyer ! 
_ Dujardin observed that when a A7/zlzo/a attempted to climb up 
the sides of a vase, it could improvise, as it were, on the instant 
and at the expense of its‘own substance, a provisional foot, which 
stretched itself out rapidly and performed all the functions of a 
permanent member. The occasion served, this temporary foot 
was seen once more to return to the common mass, and was 
absorbed into the body. Thus, with these wonderful creatures the 
presence of a necessity gives the power to create an organ by 
the mere will of the creature ; while man, with all his genius, can- 
not create a hair! Is not this humiliating ? Thus it appears that 
the filaments of all the species can be completely drawn in and 
lost in the rest of their substance. How marvellous are nature’s 
combinations ! 
The foraminifera have no stomach properly so called. They 
are gifted with a peculiar tissue, at once gelatinous, contractile, 
and essentially assimilative, which Dujardin has shown is also 
found in all infusorial animalcula. 
