CHAPTER VI 

 PARAMECIUM AND ITS RELATIVES 



119. Study of the paramecium. Laboratory study. 



Note to Teacher. To secure paramecium material, add some 

 chopped hay to a large jar of water several weeks before the animals 

 are needed. The paramecia develop more rapidly and are of larger 

 size if the water is secured from a stagnant pool. The hay infusion 

 furnishes food for bacteria upon which the single-celled animals 

 feed. To obtain the paramecia, transfer to a glass slide with a 

 pipette a drop from near the surface of the water. 



A. General appearance of paramecium. 



1. Place a drop of water containing many paramecia or 



other similar forms on a glass slide (with concave 

 depression if possible). Examine with a magni- 

 fier. 



Describe the appearance of the tiny bodies that 

 you see moving about. 



2. Now examine the drop of water with the low power 



of the compound microscope. Do not allow 

 the water to evaporate entirely, but keep adding 

 a little from time to time. 



a. Do the paramecia swim slowly or rapidly ? 



b. Is the more pointed end of the animal usually 



foremost in swimming or the rounded end ? 



B. Structure of paramecium. 



Secure a stained and mounted specimen of 

 a paramecium, or add a drop of iodine solution 

 to the water containing the living animals, and 

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