42 THE MICROSCOPE. 



smaller than a louse's eye, which exceeded all 

 the rest in briskness/' and turned itself round 

 as it were upon a point, with the celerity of a 

 spinning-top. 



The Volvox Globator, or " Globe Animalcule " 

 is the most remarkable of the Volvocinece. It 

 is frequently found in fresh-water pools during 

 spring and summer, and being ^Vth of an inch 

 in diameter may be seen by the naked eye, 

 when the drop of water containing it is held up 

 to the light. Viewed under the microscope, it 

 is seen to consist of a hollow transparent sphere, 

 which is studded at intervals with very small 

 circular green spots. This circular creature was 

 long supposed to be a single animal ; but the 

 Microscope, with its higher powers, now proves it 

 to be a composite vegetable structure, existing in 

 clusters, under a covering or mantle, and separa- 

 ted into cells to accommodate its many tenants. 

 These cells often contain smaller cells, which are 

 sometimes seen bursting through the side of the 

 parent cell ; and thus the process of multiplica- 

 tion is carried on. 



The Croniunij or " Tablet-Animalcule" is also 

 an interesting microscopic organism ; especially 



