58 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Mahcii 1, 1SG5. 



BIMPLS OBJECTS, No. II. 



Jelly Animalcule [Opln-ydluin versailk). 



IE" a bright clear stream you may sometimes 

 notice masses of a green jelly-like sub- 

 stance, attached to the stone?, and varying in 

 size from a pea to an orange. If a portion of 

 one of these is placed under the microscope, 

 it will be found to consist of a multitude of 

 very pretty animalcules, lying imbedded in a 

 gelatinous substance, each moored at one ex- 

 tremity by a delicate filament. 



These animalcules present at first the 

 appearance of spherical or oval bodies, spotted 

 over v.'ith green granules, like the chlorophyll 

 of leaves. But in a little time they elongate 

 themselves, and the free extremity opens, 

 displaying a double set of cilia, one fringing 

 the extremity ; the other a little below, at 

 the side (figs. 4, 5, G) suiTOunding the mouth. 

 By the rapid movements of these, curi'ents are 

 formed in the water, by which the substances 

 which serve as food forthe creature are brought 

 to its mouth, and the rejected substances, by 

 a contrary current, conveyed away. When 



any substance touches the mouth the cilia are 

 immediately drawn in, and the animalcule 

 contracts itself into the spherical form again ; 

 when the external covering of the animal 

 may be seen gathered into a series of folds 

 (fig. 3). This external covering is colourless, 

 and contains in its substance very minute 

 dark-coloured granules. 



Each animalcule has the povv'er of detaching 

 itself from the rest, and of swimming freely, 

 apparently that it may establish a new colony. 

 The bottle in which the Oplvrydium is kept 

 will in a few days disjjlay along its sides 

 several of these nev.^ colonies. In this free 

 condition, a new ring of cilia appears towards 

 the lower extremity of the animalcule (fig. 9), 

 by v/hich it sv/ims rapidly through the v/ater 

 backwards way. 



These nev/ colonies are apparently increased 

 by the process of gemm.ation (fig. 7). The 

 young animalcule buds off from the side of 

 its parent, having its own nucleus, surrounded 

 with minute granulations, and a few scattered 

 green granules. The animalcules are said 

 " to undergo the encysting process, and assume 

 the Acineta form." '" In some individuals the 

 green granules are less abundant, and are 

 mixed with brown granules (fig. 8) ; the 

 course of which may j^ei'haps indicate the 

 place of the oesophagus. A nucleus in this 

 case is very ap2")arent. The cilia also may be 

 seen in motion vvithin the body of the animal- 

 cule (as at c, fig. 8). 



The Ophrydium may be kept in water for 

 several months in an open vessel. 



J. S. T. 



Kqilancdlon of Figures, 



1. A group of animalcules in the gelatinous 

 envelope. 



2, 3, 1. Separate iadividuals in different condi- 

 tions, showing (2) the filamentous bond ; (3) folds 

 ill the external covering ; (4) the animal extended 

 with the cilia in motion. 



5, 6. The head more magnified. 



7. Young animalcule forming by gemmation. 



8. Animalcule showing the nucleus, and hrotcn 

 granules mixed with the green, 



9. Swimming animalcule. 



New Holland ix EuiiorE.— A lcdure_ on 1li:s 

 subject, delivered by Dr. E. linger, Professor of 

 Potany, Vienna University, has been translated into 

 English, and the pages o\ Seemami's Jo/rrnal. The 

 professor directs attention to the occurrence of cha- 

 racteristic New Hohand plants _ in the European 

 Eocene formation; deduces therefrom that "Europe 

 stood in some kind of connection with that distant 

 continent ;" and tliat " at the Eocene period Europe 

 must have had a climate like that of New Holland at 

 the present day." 



*Micrographical Dictionary, p. 507. 



