Mr. H. J. Carter on Ramulina parasitica. 97 
colourless into an opaque, brown, dust-like mass, consisting 
of the spherical spores just described grouped together into 
variously shaped compartments constructed by flocculent 
septa, while in other forms, e. g. Stemonites Ke., portions 
of the plasmodium are thrown up into stipitate heads (spo- 
rangia of exquisite form and structure according to the 
species) whose contents undergo similar changes to those 
of the Mthalium just mentioned; in short the plasmodium 
becomes transformed into the adult form of the species, 
whatever that may be; this bursts, and the spores becoming 
free follow the same process in germination as that above 
described, whereby the life-history of the Mycetozoan is 
completed. 
Directing our attention next to the freshwater naked and 
testaceous Rhizopoda, which, through the Gromuidee, such as 
Gromia fluviatilis, Duj.*, are most intimately connected with 
the Foraminifera on the one hand, and in their polymorphic 
plasmodia &e. so much resemble the Mycetozoa on the other, 
it will be seen that in 1856-57 I described and illustrated 
the tests of Amewba verrucosa and Huglypha alveolata in an 
effete state, respectively charged with a number of spherical 
colourless cells similar in form and composition to the spores 
of the Mycetozoa (f Annals,’ vols. xviii. and xx. pls. v. and i. 
figs. 26 &c. and 13), and following their stages of develop- 
ment after the same manner as that adopted for the spore of 
the Mycetozoa, it has been found that :— 
(1) The spore or reproductive body of these Rhizopoda is 
spherical, about 1-1366th inch in diameter in Ameba verru- 
cosa (‘ Annals,’ 1857, vol. xx. p. 40, pl. i. fig. 13, a, 6) and 
about 1-4000th inch in Kuglypha alveolata (ib. vol. xviii. 
p- 244, pl. v. figs. 27 and 28), also that it consists of a trans- 
parent colourless cell-wall or cortex filled with equally colour- 
less granuliferous plasma. (2) On germination (which has 
not been actually seen) the cell-wall or cortex may be fairly 
inferred to burst, as in the Mycetozoa, and the granuliferous 
plasma to come forth in the form of a colourless monociliated 
polymorphic body, possessing a nucleus and a contracting 
vesicle. (3) The cilium becomes retracted and the polymorphic 
body assumes the condition of an Amceba. (‘The presence of 
the cilium and its retraction in the young Rhizopod has been 
seen in the instance of a mother-cell in which the progeny 
came forth one by one in the form of monociliated polymor- 
phic bodies, retracted their cilium respectively, and, putting 
torth pseudopodial rays, assumed the form of an Actinophrys 
* With the marine species I have nothing to do here 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. iv. 2 
