Heron-Allen and Eaki-ano — Study of Verneuilina polystrojjha. 177 



superior force in tlie Protozoa — and for lliat very reason should be approaclied 

 and dealt with with the utmost caution. As far as the Foraminifera are 

 concerned, it seems to us that the various systems of classification which 

 have been successively suggested, and accepted, are more or less artilicial 

 and unscientific. Taking a single example, it seems to us that the whole of 

 Brady's Family, the Lituolidae, should be redistributed (as suggested by 

 Biitschli and lister) among their hyaline and porcellanous isomorphs 



Until the time arrives, if it ever does, when science will be able to 

 discriminate between the protoplasm of different protozoa, it will be necessary 

 to employ the plan of construction and arrangement of the chambers as a 

 basis for the taxonomical arrangement of the Foraminifera, although we 

 already possess proof that such plans of growth are subject to change even in 

 individual species. But the time must come when the genera of Foraminifera 

 will be grouped on a more natural system than at present; on a system in 

 which tlie processes of construction, and habits of growth and reproduction, 

 will be counted of more value than the material employed in the construction 

 of the test. For, if a box-maker had no wood, he would use some other 

 material ; he would produce a different kind of box, but it would nut neces- 

 sarily be a dill'ereut " species " of box ; and so if the animal of Technitella (for 

 example) had no spicules to work with, it would use something else, but this 

 should not result in a different genus, even though v/e should not be able to 

 recognize its origin, or to identify it as a Technitella. 





,^ 



•V 



^^ 



'P^G, ^Q.— Venieutiina polysiropha (Reuss). Skiagraubs 

 normal microspheric specimens. 



I'lG. 50. — Vertietiiitua polystropka (Rlmiss). ifkiaRrapIis 

 of normal raegalosphcric spccmifus. 



H.I. A. PUOO,, VOL. XXXV, SECT. 11. 



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