INFUSORIA. 303 



examined by a microscope, is found to consist of a mass of 

 oblong blood-red animalcules, the 300th of an inch in 

 length. Ehrenberg states, that in the early part of their 

 existence they are green ; and that the red and green 

 spots on their bodies are caused by the condition of the 

 eggs at different periods in their stomach-cells. A cilium 

 proceeding from the mouth gives it motion, sometimes in 

 a straight line, at others rolling about in all manner of 

 ways. When two cilia are seen, then the animal is about 

 to divide into two perfect and separate beings, to proceed 

 again in the career of its original. " They seem to have the 

 power of changing their shapes at will j at one time they 

 have a rolling-pin form, at another that of a fish without 

 a tail, and are also seen with their bodies extended at the 

 side like wings." Astasia are distinguishable from Amoeba 

 by the absence of the remarkable and irregular foot-like 

 processes of the latter. 



Enclielia, Flask animalcules (fig. 176, No. 2). These 

 are described by Miiller as simple invisible animalcules of 

 a cylindrical form. On the surface of the waters of ponds 

 and ditches is often seen a kind of green scum, from which 

 people are accustomed to turn with disgust, and ascribe to 

 it some injurious property. When this is brought under 

 the powers of the microscope, the water is seen to be pure 

 and clean, and the green found to consist of innumerable 

 slender cylindrical-formed animalcules, whose interiors 

 impart the colour from their distension with vegetable 

 matter. The wise and loving decrees of Providence are 

 here exemplified, as by the innate wants of this growing 

 and living speck, varying in size from the 1-1 200th 

 to 1-4 00th of an inch, the decaying and putrefying matter 

 is removed, and its noxious effects on man and beast 

 prevented. Others, of the same species of these industrious 

 and useful mites in the animal economy of Nature, whose 

 masses alone render them visible to the human eye as 

 a coloured substance, exhibit much variety in form and 

 habit. Both this and the former are now classed among 

 the lowest forms of vegetable life. 



Ehrenberg divided the genera Enchelia into several 

 families, but Dujardin's family bearing the same name 

 consists apparently of animals founded upon different 



