INFUSORIA 467 



These are very beautiful objects; and their sprightly 

 motions, and apparent intelligence give them an addi- 

 tional interest. They crawl more than they swim, running 

 with great swiftness hither and thither, frequently taking 

 short starts and suddenly stopping. The specimens which 

 we are examining are taken from water which had been 

 kept in a jar for several weeks. The vegetable matters 

 are decaying, and among the stems and filaments this 

 pretty species crawls and dodges about. It seems reluc- 

 tant to leave the shelter of the decaying solution; some- 

 times one will creep out a little way into the open water; 

 but in an instant it darts back, and settles in among the 

 stems and flocculent matter. Any attempt by turning the 

 glass cover to bring it out into view only makes it dive 

 deeper into the mass, as if seeking concealment. This is 

 about Tsfatln. of an inch in length of lorica; and the E. 

 charon is not more than one-fourth of this size. These 

 creatures remind one of an Oniscus, especially when in 

 profile. 



There is an animal very closely allied to these, but 

 much more beautiful, being of a clear greenish translu- 

 cency, with several vesicles filled with a rose-colored or 

 purple fluid of much brilliancy. This creature, which 

 bears the name of Chlamidodon, has the peculiarity of a 

 set of wand -like teeth arranged in a hollow cylinder. 



And with these we dismiss the Infusoria, a class of 

 animals, which, from their minuteness, the number and 

 variety of their species, their exceeding abundance, the 

 readiness with which they may be procured, and, as it 

 were, made to our hand (by simply steeping vegetable 

 matter in water), and the uncertainty which still prevails 

 as to many parts of their structure and economy and, 



