Rhizopoda of England and India. 283 



mary of my own observations, chiefly with reference to a more 

 particular account of the supposed " reproductive cells." 



Actinophrys Eichhornii, Ehr., mihi. 

 (PI. XII. fig. 6 : -j-V^h of an inch in diameter.) 



Primary form globular, but slightly altering this according 

 to circumstances. Length and size of tentacles also vari- 

 able. Body vacuolar in structure ; the interstices of the peri- 

 phery are so much larger than those of the interior that they 

 form a distinct layer over the latter ; and this is so defined that 

 the former may be viewed as the ectosarc [a a a a), and the in- 

 ternal portion as the endosarc {c c c c). '^Granules," like those 

 observed in Amceba, &c._, are contained in the vacuoles {e), where 

 they have a quivering motion exactly like that presented by 

 similar bodies in the endoplasm of Spirogyra, in which this 

 movement appears to be owing to the "irritability" of the 

 plasma in which they are suspended. Indeed, to my knowledge, 

 there are no two plasmata more alike in this respect than those 

 of Actinophrys and Spirogyra ; they are even more so than that 

 o{ Actinophrys and that of the Desmidese. The vacuoles, for the 

 most part, collapse under the effect of iodine, leaving a granular 

 plasma in their place. Tentacula composed of a granular plasma 

 extended outwards from the inner portion or endosarc [k k) and 

 receiving a more subtle covering from the ectosarc (i i) ; the 

 former is well seen under the action of iodine, when the tenta- 

 cula become wavy and contracted. Spaces between the inter- 

 stices of the endosarc presenting spherical bodies imbedded in 

 the intervacuolar sarcode, the larger ones about inrWth of an 

 inch in diameter [ddd), each filled with a thick plasma contain- 

 ing a group of granules in its centre, and the whole enclosed in 

 a transparent spherical cell [e). Below this diameter they ap- 

 pear to vary to a mere point, and the granules and external cell 

 not to be developed until they approach in size that above men- 

 tioned (y g). Sometimes there are two of the full size in one 

 cell, as if the original one had undergone duplicative division (Ji). 

 Iodine colours their fine contents of a light, and the granules of 

 a deep amber-colour, which again, on the addition of a little 

 dilute sulphuric acid, presents a pink tinge. In a specimen of 

 this Actinophrys measuring -^V^^ ^^ ^^ inch in diameter, I cal- 

 culated, after the vacuoles had been broken down by iodine, 

 that there were between three and four hundred of the full-sized 

 spherules or spherical bodies. Sometimes they are seen on their 

 way through the ectosarc or cortical portion, and occasionally 

 attached only to the margin by a thin film of the latter, spread 

 over the spherule, and contracted to a delicate pedicel where it 

 is in connexion with the parent. How far this may have been 



