THE STENTOR. 161 



trumpet, with one portion of the lip rolled-in with a sort 

 of volute, something like the beautiful African Arum or 

 Calla. The body now lengthens, and goes on lengthen- 

 ing, until the lower part, which is adherent, is drawn out 

 to a very slender foot. The open mouth, studded round 

 with a wreath of vigorous cilia in rapid rotatory motion, 

 strikes us with a pleased surprise. The cilia are seen, 

 like hooks, at those parts of the circle, which in perspec- 

 tive are brought in or near the line of vision, either 

 turned outward or inward according as their motion is 

 more or less rapid ; the other parts of the wreath being 

 visible only as a thin film along the line of their points, 

 and like little teeth at their bases. The obscure semi- 

 transparency of the texture of the animal renders it very 

 difficult to discern the form of the trumpet-outline satis- 

 factorily ; at one time it appears as if circular, but with 

 a large round piece cut out of one side ; which yet has a 

 thin filmy edge, as if the hiatus were covered by a trans- 

 parent membrane. Then perhaps the mouth is turned 

 slightly towards the eye, and this hiatus is no longer dis- 

 cernible anywhere, but one part of the margin is rolled 

 inwards spirally, but how the other part joins this it is 

 difficult to see. Then suddenly the orifice appears again, 

 but as a large round hole cut out of the side, with the 

 margin quite entire above it ; then in a moment this 

 aperture is seen rapidly to contract, and close up to a 

 point. But all these appearances, the mystery of which 

 so greatly heightens the interest of these creatures to a 

 young observer, seem to depend on the presence of a 



