106 



THE HARMONIES OF NATURE 



first discovered by Professor Ehrenberg, at Cuxhaven, on the 

 North Sea, occupy a conspicuous rank, both by their numbers 

 and their beauty and variety of form. The 

 sarcode body of these minute siliceous shells 

 extends itself like that of the Foraminifera 

 into foot-like prolongations, which pass through 

 the larger apertures by which they are per- 

 forated. It is a peculiar feature of these ele- 

 gant shells (whose delicate sculpture frequently 

 reminds the observer of the finest specimens 

 of the hollow ivory balls carved by the Chinese), 

 that they are usually surmounted by a number 

 of spine-like projections, very frequently having 

 a radiate disposition. Some have an oblong 

 shape, others a discoid form, from the circum- 

 ference of which the siliceous spines project at 

 regular intervals, so as to give them a star- 

 They are generally of smaller size than even 

 the Foraminifera, and appear to be almost as widely diffused, 

 as they have been brought up by the sounding-lead from the 

 bottom of the Atlantic and from the abysses of the Antarctic seas. 

 They also have largely contributed to the structure of the 

 earth-mud ; their siliceous deposits abound in the marls of Sicily 

 and Greece, and a large proportion of the rock that prevails 

 through an extensive district of the island of Barbadoes is chiefly 

 composed of their remains. 



Polyuystma. 



like aspect. 



Stentor Roeselii (highly magnified). 



The Infusoria, which owe their name to the circumstance of 

 their having been first discovered in artificial infusions of organic 



