83 
propagate the species. It is often, however, buried under 
the flowing matter, and thus turned away from observation— 
nay, sometimes it is utterly wanting, viz., when it has burst 
already within the uterus of the mother ameeba, as Dr. Greef 
has observed, and scattered therein its sarcoblasts, or rife 
germinal vesicles. 
One might also easily have seen the pinkish “ contractile 
vesicles,”’ spaces, or chambers, or, as some prefer to call them, 
“ pulsating vacuoles.” The most conspicuous and apparently 
most energetic ones were there in the rear, guiding, as it 
were, and propelling with their normal and rhythmical dias- 
tolic and systolic action the sailing mysterious vessels. To 
watch them properly one must get accustomed to their move- 
ments. (See Lankester’s figures, ‘Q. J. M.,’ vol. x, pl. ix, 
fig. 6.) 
After all this, I had no doubt indeed that my water crea- 
tures were truly representative, if not precisely the same, of 
Greef’s, A. terricola. The only apparent difference was a 
comparatively smaller size, and a less prominent feature, of 
what he calls “* Zottenanhang,” or villous appendage, which, 
even according to Wallich’s observations, seems to occur but 
occasionally. Both differences, however, may easily be attri- 
buted to the want of power in the microscope. 
Besides, I should observe that, notwithstanding Greef’s 
assurance of his having found ‘‘ die Thierchen im trochenen 
Sande,” or, as his commentator has translated, in the driest 
earth or sand, this very earth and sand was, to use again 
his expressions, ‘‘ unter Mossen und fletchen,” that is, under 
never-dying cryptogams, which, “ largely sharing of the dew 
of heaven,” do always maintain a considerable degree of 
moisture, wherein the amcebe can easily live safely, if not 
fully develope. 
Again, the skilful German doctor could hardly have 
brought his cumbrous earthy stuff within the range of the 
microscope, in its dry state, without having it previously 
bathed in water, or otherwise disposed of in wet chambers. 
Thus much he seems freely to avow, where he says that he 
had his “'Thierchen unter wasser aussetzt,” and covered 
“vermittelst einer Deckerglaschen.” Now, this refreshing 
and re-creative bathing is just what the benumbed creatures 
require to be roused from the dormant condition, which they 
are probably living in, whilst kept under ground. After 
which arguments in favour of the amphibious nature of these 
creatures, 1 would invite some better and more competent 
judge—and they are so many amongst the learned members 
of both the Royal and the Quekett Microscopical Societies— 
