24 



IX VERTEBRATE AXIMALS. 



CHAPTER II. 

 EHIZOPODA. 



The next class of the Protiinxi whicli we have to consider comprises 

 the most characteristic and typical forms of the whole sub-kingdom. 

 The name of RhhoTpoda, or "root -footed" animalcules (from the 

 Greek, rhha, root ; and podes, feet), is derived from the fact that 

 they all possess the power of throwing out at will from various parts 

 of the body the processes of sarcode which have been already spoken 

 of as pseudopodia, and by which they both move and obtain food. In 

 fact, the llhizopoda may be shortly defined as Prutoioa which have no 

 mouth, and which possess the pover of giving out pseudopodia. The 

 pseudopodia vary a good deal in shape and in other characters in 



Fig. 6.— jrorphology of Menera. a rrolmn,-ha porrecla: b Pntamyxa aurantiMa; 

 c The same in an encysted condition. Gveatly magnified. 



different orders of the Bhv.opodn, but they have invariably the char- 

 acter of being nothing more than temporary threads or finger-like 



