Itoijal Microsoojncal Socidij. 'I'^l 



separated, and soon became free. Thus they were precisely the 

 forms we were working at, but they did not permanently attach 

 themselves. 



Four of these were on this occasion followed, and they swam 

 freely until they came to a large group of the ordinary forms as 

 drawn in Fig, U, PL XLI,, and in a very short time two of them 

 had fastened themselves against two of those, so that the nuclei 

 were towards each other. One of these was followed ; and after 

 several unsuccessful efforts, and considerable perseverance, it was 

 found that the sarcode of the two bodies began to unite ; the 

 flagella c and d, Fig. 4, PI. XLIIL, working freely, and a shght 

 oscillating movement, accompanied by an occasional jerk of the 

 flagella e,f, continuing for some time. The sarcode began now to 

 rapidly blend, and on the contact of the nucleus-like bodies g, h, 

 the union was almost instantaneous, passing from two globules 

 into one ; while the flagella e, /, became detached and free, the 

 whole body now swam with great ease as shown in Fig. 5. It 

 began to be roughly triangular and rapidly increased in size, the 

 nucleus stretching itself as the body became larger and more defi- 

 nitely equilateral as in Fig. 6. 



This was the form we had so frequently met with but could not 

 explain. 



In two hours it had assumed a resting condition, although the 

 flagella moved with a graceful but sluggish motion ; but there was 

 no trace of either nucleus or granulation ; Fig. 7. In two hours 

 more the flagella had disappeared and there seemed to be con- 

 siderable lateral distension as in Fig. 8. The /o and No. 1 eye- 

 piece had been employed throughout, but No. 3 eye-piece was now 

 employed ; and the watching continued for three hours more, during 

 which time no changes ensued; but after this, sudden wave-like 

 amoeboid movements were seen, convincing us that the form was 

 still living ; and in twelve minutes afterwards the two upper apices 

 of the triangle lurst and there flowed out a dense yellowish glairy 

 fluid which difiiised itself rapidly ; and was after repeated examina- 

 tions found to be packed with the minutest dark granules. In a 

 few seconds afterwards the apex c also opened in like manner, 

 Fig. 1, PI. XLI. In cases since observed, the whole of the apices 

 have opened at once ; and in one case only one opened, the other 

 two remaining intact. 



From these granules, whose minuteness we cannot express, the 

 gradual growth to the parent forms was followed. Fig. 2 represents 

 a field chosen an hour after emission. Fig. 3 shows the same field 

 after three hours ; and from this time the growth is more rapid, so 

 that in two hours more the real forms, although small, present them- 

 selves as in Fig. 4, the anchoring flagellum being visible, but motion- 

 less, iuid in some cases coiled. The beak also was seen although its 



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