ARCHER, ON STEPHANOSPHERA PLUVIALIS. 125 
cells in this organism, having become removed from the inner 
surface of the common hyaline sphere (envelope-cell), and 
having acquired a rounded figure, may proceed thereupon to 
further developmental changes, with the object of directly 
producing each a new young globe, or may assume tempo- 
rarily either an intervening Chlamydomonas- like or Proto- 
coccus-like condition. Now, i in certain of my specimens the 
development of the primordial cells had advanced in this 
direction so far as the drawing in of the protoplasmic pro- 
longations and the assumption of a rounded form, in which 
condition they sometimes persist for some time when long in 
the house in a secluded position, the globes still revolving 
vigorously and actively. But having isolated a considerable 
number of these examples on a growing-slide, and on my re- 
turn to them some hours afterwards, I was very greatly 
astonished to find the slide to a considerable extent crowded 
by a number of what appeared to me to be Amcebee of some 
undescribed species, and these in active movement, gliding 
about and crossing each other in every direction. These were 
certainly not to be seen when [ last looked at the slide, and 
the phenomenon was beyond measure puzzling. I therefore 
rigidly examined them. It will readily be believed that my 
astonishment was beyond measure great upon shortly beyond 
all question identifying these vigorously active Ameeba-like 
bodies with the just previously absolutely quiescent pri- 
mordial cells of the Stephanosphzera—nay more, in watching 
the transformation of the latter themselves into the reptant 
amoeboid bodies, putting a parasitic development wholly out 
of the question: it will readily be believed, I say, that my 
astonishment was beyond measure great in actually witness 
ing with my own eyes this, at first sight, sufficiently aah es 
phenomenon. What! a plant, an undoubted true chlorophyll- 
containing, by cellulose externally bounded, Alga, become 
metamorphosed into an animal! Ior my part, mdeed, even 
after witnessing the wonderful change now mentioned, I 
could not acquiesce in such an assumption; and so faras I 
can see, in my humble judgment, those who might be dis- 
posed thus to understand it would greatly misinterpret the 
phenomenon. 
I shall try to describe these remarkable bodies more fully. 
IT have spoken of the primordial cells of these examples 
having become retracted from the inner wall of the hyaline 
sphere, and having acquired a rounded form within it, as if 
possibly about to undergo either the ordinary process of self. 
division, or it might be the Protococcoid or the Chlamy- 
domonas-like developmental condition before alluded to, the 
