28G Mr. II. J. Carter on the Organisation of Infusoria. 



Some clear water from the main drain of Bombay (which is 

 brackish from admixture with the sea, which flows into it twice 

 daily), having been placed in a basin for the purpose of examin- 

 ing the great development of the common Amoeba and Vortieella 

 microstoma (mihi) which, after standing two or three days, takes 

 place in it, some of these were swept off from the side of the basin 

 with a hair-pencil, and having been transferred to a slide, were 

 covered with a slip of thin glass, and placed under the micro- 

 scope, when it was observed that some of the Amoeba, contained 

 young Vorticellce, in globular transparent spaces respectively, 

 which, by their sudden contractions according to their custom, 

 showed that they were alive and vigorous. Some Amcebce con- 

 tained one, and others two; and they were apparently in all 

 stages of development as regards size, up to one-fourth of that 

 of a full-grown V. microstoma, at which period they were seen 

 to be throwm off by the Amoeba, and with such indifference that 

 the Amoeba continued its course, and the rent made in its body 

 closed up as if it was a natural occurrence. 



Under the influence of Stein's assumption that the gemma 

 of Acineta became a Vortieella, and having seen this gemma 

 thrown off by Acineta, I immediately concluded that what has 

 just been described was a similar production of Vortieella from 

 Amoeba. There was the young Vortieella in all stages of 

 development as regards size, manifesting vigorous life by the 

 activity of the vesicula and its peculiar contractions in totality, 

 apparently encysted in the Amoeba, and when ejected (which 

 only took place with those which were largest) trimming itself 

 for a few moments and then swimming off. 



It was not unlikely, then, that I should have come to the 

 conclusion that Vortieella were thus being developed from Amoeba, 

 instead of being previously enclosed for food, and only those 

 thrown off which were so large and powerful that the Amoeba 

 could not retain them comfortably, which I now believe to have 

 been the case. 



But it may be asked, when and how did they become thus 

 enclosed ? We have only here to remember with what degree of 

 voracity Infusoria feed when they are brought into direct con- 

 tact with their food under a slip of glass (e. g. Stylonychia and 

 Chlamydococcus), and that when they are first placed in this posi- 

 tion they are frequently comparatively empty, although they have 

 been taken from water abounding with their food, to come to the 

 conclusion that it is being placed between the two slips of glass 

 which enables them to entrap their food so easily, and there- 

 fore that it was the transfer of the Amoeba and Vortieella to- 

 gether in great numbers from the side of the basin to this posi- 

 tion that placed the active Vortieella, as it were, in the jaws of 



