1 88 HIDDEN BEAUTIES OF NATURE 



tory accessories. That the rapid movements of the 

 volvox are in no way dependent upon, nor caused by 

 currents in the water in which they live, will be 

 shown presently. 



It is at this stage necessary to mention, for the 

 sake of beginners, something as to how and where 

 volvox is to be obtained. Many of our English 

 ponds and dykes are so filled with specimens of these 

 fascinating organisms that the water when held up to 

 the light presents a semi-transparent green colour, 

 every portion of its contents displaying the greatest 

 activity. The micro-plants are fond of sunshine, and 

 as they come to the surface they may be easily 

 captured in a glass tube which is open at each 

 extremity, and having a bit of fine muslin secured 

 with an elastic band to one of its ends. This allows 

 the water to pass through while it retains the speci- 

 mens. The thumb may then be placed at the muslin 

 end, and the contents poured into a bottle. Experi- 

 enced microscopists advise us not to mix the water 

 of different ponds. It will be advisable to examine 

 them soon after you have captured them, for few 

 have the secret of knowing how to keep them for 

 long. They thrive in the light and in fresh air. It 

 has not been our good fortune to preserve them for 

 more than three or four days at a time. 



Owing: to the incessant motion which characterizes 



o 



all the healthy specimens, it is no easy matter to 

 photograph them through the microscope, or to make 

 a careful sketch for purposes of illustration. 



