382 Mr. W. Clark’s Observations on recent Foraminifera. 
attrition, and very often are imperfect fragments, which have 
passed for perfect organisms, as I shall presently demonstrate. 
The Orthocera are fixed by the subulate style at the posterior 
end, though most cabinet specimens are broken off and rounded 
by the corally particles and agitation of the waters. 
Many of the Polystomelle and other discoid forms have, when 
perfect, a spiny periphery, by which they are permanently fixed to 
marine objects, and in this state I have often seen the Polystomella 
crispa, but when detached the spines fall off, or are worn away. 
The Rotaha Beccarii adheres by its concave surface. The Loba- 
tula vulgaris, every one knows, is attached to stones, shells and 
zoophytes ; and why should not the rest of the Foramiifers be 
in a similar category ? 
But the decisive proof that most of these calcareous structures 
are naturally fixtures, will be manifest from the sketch of the con- 
figuration of the Lagena levis. This organism, in a state of nature, 
is never in distinct flask or urn-shaped portions, unless the inci- 
pient or primary cell is met with: the real structure is, that these 
flask-shaped forms are the cells of a Foraminifer supermeumbent 
on each other, and permanently united: to what number they 
amount to, when in a perfect state, I cannot say, but I have seen 
a stem of at least four united cells, the sketch magnified many times. 
posterior one being furnished with the Antoriens 
style of attachment. All naturalists have 
hitherto figured this foraminiferous form 
in broken fragments, which they have 
considered to be perfect, distinct and se- 
parate forms, likening them to an oil- 
flask or urn, with the neck margined at 
what they thought was the terminal ori- 
fice, whereas these flask-shaped cells are 
only portions of a stem of chambers, 
which from the extreme delicacy of struc- Style of fixation at 
ture are broken by the slightest touch, at bone 
the neck, usually bringing away with it a small cireular portion 
of the bulb of the preceding cell, giving the neck the appearance 
of a margin which is smoothed by attrition. As to the polype of 
the Lagene, I can say nothing more than what I have stated with 
respect to O. Legumen. Finally, I may observe, that there is 
little doubt that all the species of these minute organisms are 
foraminiferous, and inhabited by polypiferous creatures. 
It may perhaps be thought, that in my observations on the 
polype of the Foraminifers I have stated hypotheses instead of 
facts ; but it must be recollected that in the obscure and difficult 
points of natural history, this mode of searching out truth must 
be submitted to as the best the case admits of, and it is often a 
A stem of four cells of the Lagena levis. 
