PLANT LIFE IN PONDS & STREAMS 



Spirogyra, a period of rest followed by an increase, 

 and this is repeated over and over again. If we 

 watch our little sphere through the microscope, we 

 may be lucky enough to see the contents divide into 

 four parts. Now we must watch carefully, for very 

 interesting events are about to take place. Each of 

 the four parts into which the contents of the sphere 

 has split, escapes into the water and swims about 

 for a time; it then becomes spherical, but instead 

 of having a smooth outer surface, as it had when we 

 first observed it, we can see that it is now studded 

 all over with very fine threads. It then wanders 

 along a Spirogyra plant, attaches itself to one of 

 the cells, perforates its wall and sucks out the 

 contents. This performance it repeats several times 

 then, evidently satiated, it loses its threads and 

 resumes the appearance it had when first observed 

 and thus it rests, till division of its contents into four 

 parts takes place once more and the little comedy 

 is repeated. 



Now we must tear ourselves away from our pond; 

 there are very many interesting objects for our 

 microscope on the sea shore and if we delay too 

 long here, we shall not be able to give them the 

 attention they deserve. 



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