28 



VIEWS OF THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD. 



conception of such minuteness is beyond the grasp of our minds ; yet each, an 

 organized being, is not too small to claim and receive the regard of Him, who 

 called into life, and amply endowed it with peculiar organs and powers, adapted 

 to the mode and range of its existence. 



GRAPE MONAD. The grape monad, is so called, from the circumstance that the 

 Fig 9 individuals at times, unite and form clusters, like bunches of grapes 

 or berries. A natural group of a species of this kind, is shown in 

 figure 9, where they are magnified linearly three hundred and fifty 

 times ; the diameter of the cluster being one-four-hundred and 

 thirtieth part of an inch, and that of each animalcule one-twenty- 

 three-hundredth of an inch. 



This species possesses an oval form, and is furnished with two cilia at its 

 mouth ; and such is its vivacity, that notwithstanding its minuteness, it subsists 

 by prey; hunting down, and devouring living beings of inferior size. In 1835, 

 Ehrenberg found, at one time, within the body of a grape monad, several 

 monads, which had fallen its victims. By feeding them with indigo, no less than 

 twelve stomachs were discerned, as the coloring matter was imbibed ; the posi- 

 tion of some of these cavities are seen in the figure. 



This animalcule increases from eggs, which become visible when magnified 

 eight hundred times linearly ; and also by self-division, which takes place both 

 across and lengthwise of the body. 



THE 



Fig. 10. 



GREEN EYE-MONAD. In figure 10, is delineated one of the two species 

 of the monads in which a visual organ is first discovered. It is 

 of an egg-shaped form, and swims in the direction of its length 

 by the aid of a cilium (a 6), which is nearly as long as the body. 

 Its color is of a rich green, and an eye, which is red, is distinctly 

 seen, as shown at c. This animalcule is found amid water-plants, 

 and varies from one-seven hundred and twentieth to one-twenty- 

 three-hundredth of an inch in length. In the figure, it is mag- 

 nified eight hundred times in length and breadth. 



Fig. 11. 



THE BREAST-PLATE ANIMALCULES. Many species of monads are found clus- 

 tered in one community, and acting together with the utmost 

 harmony. This mode of existence occurs in the breast-plate 

 monads, which have received this name from the form in which 

 they are arranged. A group of these singular creatures is shown 

 in figure 11, and a single animalcule in figure 12. The breast- 

 plate monad is found in clear water, both salt and fresh, and con- 

 sists of sixteen globular bodies of a pure green color, enclosed 

 within a flat, transparent shell of a pearly hue. In this they are 



