PORTER : TRICHOXYMPHA. 49 



of the posterior end of the body (Figs. 1, 2) vibrated but little, while 

 the very long cilia that enveloped the posterior half of the animal and 

 reached out far behind (Figs. 1, 2) appeared to be absolutely motionless. 

 These last are not quite useless, however, for I noticed that milk cor- 

 puscles began to be entangled among them, and soon afterward long 

 trains of globules were being dragged behind each animal (Figs. 6 

 and 4). At first I thought this was merely accidental, but after longer 

 observation I came to the conclusion that the cilia a>.tualiy enfold 

 the globules, for these are gradually drawn in towards the animal, and 

 finally come to lie in close contact with the posterior part of its body 

 (Figs. 4, 5). That the cilia are prehensile in their nature has already 

 been observed by Kent, for he says : " When placed in diluted milk, the 

 animalcules of both the American and Tasmanian species of Tricho- 

 nympha have been observed by me to assume a fixed condition that has 

 not hitherto been described. An attachment to the surface of organic 

 substances or other convenient fulcra is then accomplished through the 

 medium of the long fascicle of hair-like cilia that are produced from their 

 posterior exti-emity. These cilia, intersecting one another at a short 

 distance from the body, form a sort of hollow cone, the expanded base of 

 which grasps the selected fulcrum of support after the manner of an 

 acetabulum. This habit of, as it were, anchoring themselves by their 

 long caudal cilia was observed in both the adult and the immature 

 animalcules." 



I have observed tliat Trichouympha may attach itself even to the 

 cover glass by means of its cilia. This evident habit of grasping things 

 by means of the caudal cilia suggested the idea that these cilia might 

 perhaps have the function not only of attaching the animal to the host, 

 but also of procuring food ; however, I must acknowledge that it appeared 

 highly improbable that these seemingly motionless cilia, which clothe 

 and tightly invest the animal, could have a function which ordinarily 

 requires so much activity ; furthermore, I had been unable thus far to find 

 any mouth opening. Kent in his article says (p. 271) : "An important 

 point that was left undetermined by Dr. Leidy respecting the structure 

 of Trichouympha relates to the precise position of the oral aperture. 

 The bodies of the animalcules are almost invariably filled with fragments 

 of the woody debris devoured by their hosts, the White Ants, which shows 

 that their sustenance is taken into their body in a solid state, and is 

 not simply absorbed in the fluid form, as occurs with the group of the 

 Opalinidse. A prolonged observation of living examples of the American 

 species remitted me by Dr. Leidy, and likewise of the Tasmanian type 



