PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 267 
which had since then presented itself, and which seemed suffi- 
ciently remarkable. This consisted in many of the specimens 
presenting from one, two, or the whole three of the posterior 
horn-like extensions, a tuft of very slender linear appendages, of 
greater or less density, issuing from the apex of the horn, and 
oftentimes as long or longer than the whole creature, test and all. 
These curious fasciculi were sometimes very dense, the individual 
linear elongations being very numerous, or these latter were 
sometimes few only, or reduced even to one. Under a moderate 
power these tufts might suggest fasciculi of so many minute 
colourless algoid or fungoid filaments issuing from the apex of 
the horn-like extension ; when viewed under a higher power they 
were seen to be pellucid, with a central series of granules some- . 
what irregularly disposed. A question presented itself as to the 
nature of these novel appendages— Were they prolongations of 
the sarcode or mass of the body of the Difflugia within, or were 
they parasitical growths of any nature? For the first assump- 
tion their considerable resemblance to the slender linear prolonga- 
tions from the body of Ameba villosa, brought forward by Mr. 
Archer at the February meeting, seemed to speak. Besides, if 
they were parasitical growths, it might be presumed that such 
would take place rather on dead or diseased specimens than on 
active living ones, and these were sending forth the usual pseudo- 
poda from the frontal opening very vigorously, and making quite 
their usual progress along. For the second assumption, indeed, 
the seeming want of change of form of these appendages and 
their seeming power of being shed would appear to speak. There 
did not seem to be any internal flow of the central granules. 
But as regards their being sometimes cast off, it seems undoubted 
on the other hand that Actinophrys Hichornit could be made to 
shed its rays, unquestionably sarcode. (See Kiihne—“ Unter- 
suchungen tiber das Protoplasma und die Contractilitat’’; ‘ Die 
Bewegungserscheinungen der Actinophrys Eichornii,’ pag. 68. 
Leipzig, 1864.) There does not seem any vegetable filament to 
which these, indeed, could be well compared. Be then their 
nature what it may, Mr. Archer thought that the singular. 
appearance presented by these Difflugize carrying about these 
remarkable-looking tufts or appendages at the least worth this 
crude and brief note. 
Rev. E. O'Meara, A.M., exhibited Aulacodiscus orientalis, well 
showing its spines, also Omphalopelta punctata. 
Dr. John Barker exhibited and explained a modification of 
Smith’s new Growing Slide, which he had contrived. This con- 
sists of a shallow glass box, as in Smith’s, but both upper and 
lower plate having cut out of each a circle of about an inch in 
diameter, and a piece of glass tubing set therein and cemented, 
so as again to hermetically close the box. Immediately over the 
aperture thus made through and through the box, a circle of 
