Miss S. G. Foulke on Chilomonas param^cium. 261 



active (fig. 3). So many of these forms were now found, 

 while the number of the adult forms of Chilomonas at the 

 same time diminished, that the identity of the two was sus- 

 pected ; and the suspicion was verified almost immediately by 

 my witnessing the transformation throughout. 



An individual would begin to spin round, gradually losing 

 contour, while the refractive " corpuscles " ranged near the 

 cell-wall left their places and moved actively about, showing, 

 as did also the increased transparency of the cell, incipient 

 liquefaction of the endoplasm. An amoeboid character was 

 now assumed, until, finally, one or the other of the two phases 

 above noted was entered upon. When the final shape was 

 that of fig. 4, the freeing of the germs was effected in various 

 ways. Sometimes, as stated, the film became generally dis- 

 integrated ; in other cases one large external vesicle was 

 formed, leaving only a very small portion of protoplasm 

 enclosing the germs, and from this the germs energetically 

 freed themselves after the bursting of the vesicle (fig. 5). In 

 still others a small vesicle formed about the germs, and, 

 moving to the cell-wall, extruded itself and burst, liberating 

 the germs directly into the water, after which the remainder 

 of the animalcule disintegrated (fig. 6). 



In from four to five days each of these germs developed 

 into an adult Chilomonas^ having the characteristic form at an 

 early stage of growth. The " corpuscles," or, correctly, the 

 germs, appeared in these at maturity. 



The habit of breaking up, as recorded by Blitschli, probably 

 coincides with the above phenomena ; and although that 

 author does not describe the liberation of germs, I believe 

 this habit to exist principally for that purpose, as the young 

 or recently matured Chilomonas was not affected by confine- 

 ment. This, then, seems to be the first time that the true 

 character of the ornamental belt of so-called corpuscles has 

 been indicated. 



The transition to the globular and the amoeboid phases 

 afforded strong corroboration of the opinions of Stein and 

 Kent, as opposed to that of Blitschli, regarding the point of 

 growth of the flagella — showing them to be inserted close 

 together. 



