446 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 19 



of a detached flagellum of Glenodinium cinctum, which rolled up in 

 corkscrew fashion, remained quiet for a moment, then straightened 

 out and soon turned over in an up-and-down movement. These 

 movements lasted for only a minute or less, after which the detached 

 flagellum came to rest and did not move again. Schilling (1891) 

 observed similar reactions in detached flagella of Peridinium and 

 Fischer (1894) saw that the detached flagellum of Polytoma continued 

 its movements for some time after it had separated from the body. 

 In an isolated cilium of Phycomyceten zoospores, Rothert (1894) 

 clearly observed several movements. Kolsch (1902) saw cilia on a 

 blister of Paramecium that continued to beat rapidly. He thought 

 that to these cilia the basal corpuscles remained attached. In detached 

 cirri of Euplotes harpa, Prowazek (1900) observed repeated move- 

 ments. 



It is not uncommon, during the disintegration of the body of E. 

 patella, to see frontal or marginal cirri continue several contractions 

 upon being set free. Occasionally, but less frequently, I have dis- 

 tinctly observed detached anal cirri to show similar movements. Some- 

 times the movements of detached frontal cirri, even after being gouged 

 out by the needle, were quite vigorous, and continued so for several 

 seconds. As formerly stated, frontal and marginal cirri have been 

 snipped off with a V-shaped needle. In very few cases was it possible 

 to cut these cirri off and carefuly observe any reactions of the excised 

 parts. However, such parts were never seen to contract. Their failure 

 to show any movement may have been due to injury which resulted 

 in rapid death. Anyhow, from the various ways in which the cirri 

 of this animal are used, not only in creeping and swimming but also 

 in attachment to objects, which in several instances were observed to 

 involve distinct flexures (as over the needle or about pieces of debris) 

 it would seem that contractility inheres throughout the cirrus. 



Furthermore, rather more frequently, the movements of the mem- 

 branelles may be distinctly seen to continue after separation from a 

 disintegrating body, even for longer periods than those of detached 

 cirri. As few as four membranelles have been cut off which after- 

 wards showed several fairly normal movements. Attempts to excise 

 a single membranelle and observe any contractions were unsuccessful, 

 but the failure would appear to be due rather to inferior technique. 



It is obvious that the contractions of anal, frontal or marginal cirri 

 or of membranelles of E. patella are not conditional upon attachment 

 to the body and, therefore, not upon any mechanism within the body. 



