§^8 



W. ARCHER. 



foreign bodies are, of course, those best suited for examina- 

 tion (fig. 11). 



In such, even under a moderate power, a great number of 

 shining bodies (" Glanzkorper") of roundish or oval figure 

 can be seen, to be mentioned again. 



Viewed under a higher amplification, it can be seen that 

 the body-substance is made up of two elements — (1) a com- 

 pletely hyaline and homogeneous substance, chiefly external, 

 and (2) an inner one of vesicular nature. 



As regards thehyalineouter substance, itsurrounds the whole 

 body, as has been mentioned, forming a narrow zone, giving 

 off the above-mentioned amoeboid processes, and into which 

 the contents flow, as into a sac. 



The second substance of the body occupies almost the 

 whole of the interior, and consists of larger or smaller closely- 

 packed vesicular spaces, lying in a hyaline, richly granular, 

 intervening substance, the whole not unlike Actinospha- 

 rium Eichhornii, but not so regular or compact. In Pelomyxa 

 there is no differentiation of outer or inner stratum, nor are 

 the spaces so equal in size, but large, small, and very small 

 lie side by side. A pushing about and alteration of their 

 position besides takes place, especially in the interior, less 

 more outwardly, owing to the amoeboid movements of the 

 animal (fig. 11). 



These vesicles represent isolated unconnected spaces ; 

 sometimes two or more can be seen flowing with the stream 

 into one of the lobes ; they readily become detached from the 

 rest and flow, like other " contents," thereinto. These spaces 

 are few in young examples, and they are diminished in 

 number in those which have become densely packed with 

 foreign bodies. 



Touching the mutual relations of these two elements the 

 author propounds the queries : — (1) "Are these clear spaces 

 formed like true vesicles, with special walls ? (2) what con- 

 tents have these vesicular spaces? and (3) of what nature is 

 the granular intervening substance in which they lie, that is, 

 their peculiar matrix or basic substance ?" 



As regards the first query, the author replies, the spaces 

 are without special wall, they are simple vacuities or hollow 

 cavities in its substance. As to the second query, their con- 

 tents must be of a different nature from the surrounding sub- 

 stance, since both stand side by side without any com- 

 mingling. The contents are pellucid. Under the highest 

 amplification no further form-elements can be perceived, 

 except here and there, not in all, a few dark shining gra- 

 nules. That the contents must be of a fluid nature is evi- 



