126 THE PROTEUS. 



organs at pleasure, and are thus perpetually exhibit- 

 ing changes of figure. These temporary oars are 

 produced by the animal shooting out finger-like 

 appendages, from different parts of its semi-fluid 

 body, which are retracted, or which sink down at 

 will, others being again protruded, as in the en- 

 graving on the preceding page. 



Ehrenberg describes the organ of locomotion of 

 another animalcule as a fleshy, undivided, sole-like 

 foot, proceeding from the central opening, and 

 resembling the part by which snails move from spot 

 to spot. Nor does it allow the creature merely to 

 creep; for by this means the animalcule when at 

 rest can draw objects to it, and push away things 

 by it. 



Some of these animalcules, again, are furnished 

 with jointed " bristle-like ap- 

 pendages, which are movable, 

 and by their action propel them 



L/fff^sizfr - along ; in addition, some have 

 = U little hooks, which enable them 



EUPLCEA CHARON. to stick to other bodies, as 

 in the annexed engraving. 



Others again, and by far the most numerous, 

 have vibratory cilia, as locomotive organs, either 

 disposed on parts of the body, or distributed uni- 

 versally over its surface ; their action is supposed 

 to be circular, or in other words, they are believed 

 to sweep round and round, and they produce a 

 tremulous and very perceptible current in the con- 



