XIII. STAB-LIKE ANIMALS. 



" Between two worlds 

 Life hovers like a star." 



" And living stars to view be brought, 

 In the boundless realms of thought." 



W. H. FURNESS. 



THE Acinetons are radiate and suctorial infusoria 

 of peculiar interest, and on them a good deal 

 of scientific discussion has been expended. In 

 some respects they resemble Actinophrys just de- 

 scribed; and it was customary at one time to 

 associate them together. Subsequently they were 

 regarded as temporary states only in the life -his- 

 tory of other organisms, and we were favoured with 

 the acineton stages of Vortictlla, Epistylis, &c. 

 Finally, this theory was shown to be in error and 

 abandoned ; and the Acinetons were again regarded 

 as bond fide separate existences, having a family 



