120 WESTON, ON THE ACTINOPHRYS SOL. 



I should confine myself to one, and I selected the larger of 

 the two. Attached to the side of this I could perceive two 

 of the cells which had previously formed the connection, and 

 on the loose edge of the outer was a floating faint line, the 

 broken thread ; this, together with the cells, gradually con- 

 tracted towards the body, and only a few minutes were neces- 

 sary to draw the whole into the body of the Actinoplirys, 

 which then appeared as perfect an animal as I iiad seen. 

 During the whole of the process, the valve of each, situated 

 at nearly opposite extremes, was in constant action, and each 

 creature was busily employed seizing its food. 



On the following morning I had several specimens in a 

 cage, one of which I observed slightly indented on its opposite 

 sides. I wrote to a microscopic friend to come to my bunga- 

 low (only about two hundred yards separated from his), but 

 before despatching the note I took another look, and found 

 division progressing so rapidly, that 1 fixed the cage and 

 carried the instruments to him. 



Precisely the same proceedings occurred that I have already 

 described, except that the connecting chain, previous to sepa- 

 ration, remained to the last, broader, consisting of five or six 

 rows of cells. I have since had so many opportunities of 

 witnessing the same circumstances, that I have written down 

 self-division in the Actinophrys Sol, as a fact. 



That other modes of multiplication occur is, also, I consider, 

 undoubted, otherwise how are to be accounted for the clusters 

 of them in their infancy, frequently met with so minute as to 

 render a \ inch necessary to identify them positively ; minute, 

 however, as they are in this stage, the valve is still to be easily 

 recognised when the eye has become accustomed to its motion. 



With regard to the production of these clusters of young 

 1 have a curious occurrence to register. I have observed, and 

 that by no means unfrequendy, see fig. 5 b, b, a thin pellicle 

 protruded from the edge of the Actinophrys, sometimes form- 

 ing a single, large irregular-shaped sac, generally two, as in 

 the figure, and in one instance, three. The first time this 

 came under my observation I supposed the cover of the cage 

 was pressing too hard upon the specimen, and was crushing it, 

 for shortly both cells simultaneously burst at their outer 

 margin, giving exit to a considerable mucous discharge, 

 much resembling (only of less consistence), the discharge seen 

 on the bursting of pollen ; this discharge diffused itself gra- 

 dually in the water of the cage, and steadily disappeared (in 

 eight minutes) on dilution. Immediately after the bursting of 

 these cells I was surprised to see them contract ; this changed 

 my opinion regarding the supposed pressure of the cover, and 



