116 Marvels of Pond-Life. 



wreaths to be drawn in, and the bodies to be retracted, 

 and descend into their house like a conjuring toy, until 

 the appearance first described was reproduced. 



The general form and structure of these objects was 

 like the drawings usually given of Vaginicola, which is 

 said not to exist in groups, although two individuals 

 are commonly found in one well-shaped cell. These 

 creatures, however, did not taper towards the base as 

 Vaginicolae generally do, and perhaps they became 

 aware of this defect in their figures, for after a day or 

 two a change appeared, and they assumed a more 

 graceful form by swelling out in the middle, and then 

 growing slender down to the bottom, very much like 

 the pattern given by glass-blowers to little vases of 

 flowers . 



It is very important to note the changing appearance 

 of animalcules, and where the same individuals can be 

 observed from day to day, these will often be found 

 considerable. It is probable that when such particulars 

 are fully known, the number of species will be greatly 

 reduced, and the study of these organisms considerably 

 simplified. I have called the animals just described 

 VaginicolcB, but the reader must be prepared to find 

 similar bodies, inhabiting well-formed vases, either 

 solitarily or in couples, the latter condition arising 

 from the fission of one individual without a corre- 

 sponding division of the abode. 



For a few weeks I continually met with groups living 

 as I have described, in what may be called amorphous 

 cells, which were often so nearly like the surrounding 

 water in refracting power, as to be discerned with some 



