154 DESCRIPTION OF [Polygastrica. 



reddish-brown, motion rapid. (See 72.) Found with Pro- 

 tococcus nebulosus in snow .(Switzerland). Plate xii. 

 group 526. Length l-l500th. 



Genus XXXIII. AMBLYOPHIS. The tail-less eye Asta- 

 siaea. The characteristics of this genus are, that its 

 member is free, possesses an eye and single thread-like 

 proboscis, but is tail-less. This proboscis serves as an 

 organ of locomotion, and is situated at the creature's 

 foremost extremity, which, says Ehrenberg, is cleft, so as to 

 represent a two-lipped mouth ; the upper lip bearing the 

 proboscis being very readily distinguished. The colour of 

 the animalcule is derived from the closely compressed 

 mass of green granules, which nearly fills the body, and 

 may be regarded as ova. There may be seen also, near the 

 middle of the creature, a large bright globular body, and 

 five wand-like bodies, two of which are situated before, 

 and three behind, the first mentioned one. The whole of 

 these are supposed to be male generative organs. No con- 

 tractile spermatic vesicle has been observed. Self-division is 

 unknown in these creatures. The sensitive system is more 

 beautifully and clearly developed in this genus than in any 

 other of the polygastric Infusoria. Towards the anterior 

 part of the body, and just behind the proboscis, where the 

 mass of ova commences, there is a bright red and some- 

 what lengthened spot (resembling, as to situation and 

 colour, the eye of the wheel Animalcules and Entomas- 

 tracea), beneath which, in the clear space below, is a quantity 

 of matter of a very peculiar description, of a globular form, 

 having the appearance of nervous ganglia, and being most 

 probably connected with the organ of vision. 



125. AMBLYOPHIS viridis. The green Amblyophis. 



