118 VIGNETTES FROM INVISIBLE LIFE. 



structures, that mixing up their own acineton star- 

 like forms among the ciliated cups of Epistylis, &c., 

 and other known forms, the idea was suggested that 

 the one comparatively well-known one was passing 

 though an acineton stage of being, as indicated by 

 the presence of these undoubted acinetons in their 

 midst, which seemed to be part and parcel of their 

 own organisation ; and this idea was apparently 

 confirmed by some similarity in subsequent develop- 

 ment between the two. However, as we have 

 already observed, all this was found to have been a 

 mistake, and is now given up. 



Eeturning to the perfect Acineton Podophrya 

 qitadripartita we now see certain small circular 

 bodies being pushed up, as it were, gradually 

 towards the margin of the upper surface of the 

 body. (It should here be observed that in 

 these creatures there is no mouth, or orifice 

 answering to it that the body is of a granular 

 texture arid fed by suction from tubular tentacles, 

 and that out of this semi-fluid mass the small 

 bodies now observed are produced, and eventually 

 discharged.) These are free embryonic forms, 

 totally unlike their parents. Making up for the 



