LATTICE WORKERS, OR POLYCYSTINA. 81 



is not amongst the highest members of the class that 

 these processes seem to be carried on, in the absence 

 of organs wherewith to effect them, but in those 

 lower types in which we have hitherto failed to detect 

 a trace of such organs." l Whether solid food is 

 absorbed or not, of a size sufficient to be distin- 

 guished, is of little consequence to this our history, and 

 having stated both sides of the case we will proceed, 

 with the intimation that even those who doubt the 

 absorption of solid food particles, by either the Fora- 

 minifera or Polycystina, admit that Amoeba and 

 Actinophrys " do unquestionably incept solid food 

 particles, digesting and assimilating whatever portions 

 are nutritious, and extruding the remainder/' 



There seems to be a general agreement that a kind 

 of imperfect granular circulation takes place in ail 

 these allied forms, not only in the central sarcode, 

 but along the extensions, in the form of pseudopodia. 

 This " streaming of granules," whether in the body 

 or in the pseudopodia, is not admitted to be refer- 

 able to a vital power in the sarcode, in which the 

 primary vital function consists in the contractility 

 of the substance, but rather that the progres- 

 sion of the molecules is the exponent of that 

 function. 



From incidental remarks, in the course of his 



1 Quart. Journ. Micros. Science, 1865, p. (-5. 

 G 



