54 Dr. G. C. Wallich on some novel Phases of Organic Life 



attached to the surface of the Coccosphere-cells, and convex ex- 

 ternally; in short, they are spoon-shaped, only with a much 

 less marked convexity and concavity. In some specimens, a 

 single aperture, only, occurs at the central portion. In others 

 the aperture appears to be double ; or, rather, there are two per- 

 forations placed side by side, in the dii'ection of the long axis of 

 the body, and separated from each other by an extremely deli- 

 cate transverse band ; whilst the external marginal surface, which 

 thus constitutes a quoit-like but oblong ring round the central 

 perforated portion, is striated in a radiate manner. When the 

 two perforations are present, the little mass closely resembles a 

 miniature plate of Synapta. The Coccoliths, like the spheres 

 upon which they rest, are transparent and devoid of colour. Their 

 mode of attachment is undistinguishable, owing to their extreme 

 minuteness. They appear, however, to be simply placed in con- 

 tact with the surface of the Coccosphere-wall, and to be retained 

 in position by the delicate gelatinous layer in which the entire 

 organism is invested. We may thus account for the seeming 

 facility with which the Coccoliths are detached, and the vast 

 numbers of free Coccoliths which crowd many of the deposits. 



It is necessary to state that a high magnifying power and very 

 careful and brilliant illumination are requisite to enable us to see 

 the structure of the Coccoliths to this extent. Their presence 

 in the finer portion of the deposits may just be ascertained under 

 a good |-inch lens ; but in order to make out the apertures and 

 striation, a ^ or g, of first-rate construction, is indispensable, — 

 the difficulty of obtaining clear definition being materially, and 

 almost insurmountably, enhanced from the circumstance of its 

 being necessaiy to mount the material in its normal state, inas- 

 much as subjection to acids at once annihilates all trace of the 

 objects under notice. 



The average length of each Coccolith is about ^j^^^^ of an 

 inch. Fig. 3, a, b, c, represents these bodies a b c 

 as seen from their external, lateral, and in- % ^'^i^ ^^ 

 ferior aspects. Fig. 4 gives a still more s « 



enlarged view of one, as seen from its external or convex 

 aspect. 



In the adjoining woodcut, fig. 1 exhibits a specimen in which 

 four Coccospheres, with their adherent Coccoliths, are united 

 together in a linear series similar to that of the chambers of the 

 Nodosarice. The cells are all, however, of uniform size, and 

 smaller than the majority of the separate single specimens. 

 Fig. 2 represents an unmistakeable Textularia (probably 

 T. variabilis, Will.), the chambers of which apparently consist 

 of several Coccospheres, in this instance of different sizes, 

 arranged according to the double alternating order typical of 



