110 W. ARCHER. 
apparent. This does not seem to form a border, or any 
“‘ ectosarc” region; the contained granules stand close up to 
the outer contour, leaving no hyaline margin. In examples 
presenting this condition in a well-expressed manner (PI. 
VI), I think I see yet another constituent of the basic 
substance, different from the common hyaline matrix—a kind 
of greenish, plastic, amorphous substance, as it were compar- 
able to “ diffused” chlorophyll, seemingly distinct from and 
yet, as it were, combining at the margins (if one may use the 
word) of the patches of it, with the hyaline matrix, than 
which, however, this substance appears to be of a less fluent 
or yielding nature. I do not think it would be capable of 
detection unless in examples so, as one might say, “ on the 
stretch.”? Now, a beautiful play of quite globular pulsating 
vacuoles is seen to take place in the basic mass ; these vacuoles, 
though very numerous, never become distended very large. 
It is very interesting to watch their alternate diastole and 
systole, now here, now there, distributed all over the ex- 
tended mass; but, to see this properly, attention should be 
confined to a single vacuole. It is curious to observe a 
vacuole originate in the middle of a layer of the greenish 
substance adverted to—the vacuole expands for a time in the 
usual manner, but as if the expansion took place too vigor- 
ously in proportion to the yielding capacity of the surround- 
ing substance, the latter becomes somewhat suddenly, as it 
were, cracked or split at opposite sides of the globular vacuole, 
the rift extending to a length, perhaps, as great as the diame- 
ter of the vacuole ; anon the contraction abruptly sets in, and 
the divided surrounding substance reunites, and the rift 
becomes obliterated (as it were re-fused), perhaps not to return, 
even should the vacuole reappear in the same place (Pl. VI. 
See the vacuole in centre of the subtriangular outlying por- 
tion of plasma to the left). 
But, as we watch, attention will soon be drawn off from 
the vacuoles. The first issuing portion of contents, upon 
being some time advanced into the surrounding water, forms, 
as it were, a primary trunk, which soon subdivides into a 
number of branches which taper off, or after tapering a little 
may again become expanded, forming a “‘ peninsula” of the 
extended body-substance ; or the connecting “‘ isthmus ” may 
disappear, leaving an “island” formed of the sarcode-substance 
lying apart. Presently, issuing from various parts of the 
“ trunk ” and principal “ branches,” as we have seen abound- 
ing in vacuoles, are soon noticed ramifications, extending 
far and wide in the most complex manner, of filiform, hyaline, 
quite colourless threads of extraordinary tenuity. ‘These ex- 
