THE GEEEN MATTER' IN ANIMALS. 739 



Ve wiii therefore only notice their researches in so far as they appear to have a bearing upon 

 the origin of the green color of the Oyster. 



Bntz' disoovehies. — Bntz has discoA'ered that he could canse colorless infusoria to become 

 green by feeding with green palmellaceous cells, which, moreover, did not die after the death of 

 their hosts, but continued to live, growing and developing within the latter until their total evolu- 

 tion proved them to be forms of very simple microscopic green algse, such as Palmella, Gloeocystis, 

 etc. My own observations on some green-colored infusorial animals have been of so interesting a 

 character that I will here describe what I observed in a green bell animalcule ( Vorticella chloro- 

 stigma). Upon investigating their structure, I found that next the cnticle or skin in the outer soft 

 layer of their bodies, known as the "ectosarc," at all stages there was a single stratum of green 

 corpuscles very evenly or uniformly imbedded. In another form (StentoK), as already noticed by 

 Stein, the same superficial layer of green corpuscles was observed, reminding one very forcibly of 

 the superficial layer of chlorophyl grains observed in the c^Us of some plants, as, for instance,/ 

 Anacharis. Now, it is well known that certain animalcules are at times quite colorless and at 

 others quite ^teen; this appears to be the case with Ophrydium. In this last case I have a 

 suspicion that vegetable parasites may be the cause of the green variety, but as for the others, 

 _ Stentor and Vorticella, I am not so sure that their green forms are so caused. In them the 

 superficial positions of the green corpuscles and their behavior toward reagents lead me to 

 think that they must be regarded as integral parts of the creatures in which they are found. 



Nature op the geeen matter in animals. — A grass-green planarian worm (Convoluta 

 Sehultzii), found at Eoscoff by Mr. Geddes, was observed by him to evolve oxygen in large 

 amounts, like a plant, and "both chemical and histological observations showed the abundant, 

 presence of starch in the green cells^ and thus these planarians, and presumably, also. Hydras^ 

 Spongilla, etc., were proved to be truly vegetating animals." While some organisms, like th& 

 foregoing, appear to have true chlorophyl grains imbedded superficially in their own substance,, 

 others, like the radiolarians, some siphonophores, sea anemones, and jelly-fishes, harbor true-, 

 vegetable parasites, or, preferably, vegetable guests. 



That the green observed in a number of animal organisms is of the nature of chlorophyl,, 

 or leaf green, has been proved by Lankester by means of the spectroscope. A. W. Bennett, iu; 

 alluding to Lankester's observations, says: "In all cases the chlorophylloid substance agrees im 

 having a strong absorption band in the red — a little to the right or left— and, except in Motea, in: 

 being soluble in alcohol, and in having strong red fluorescence, and in finally losing its color whem 

 dissolved." 



The vegetable organisms which have been found to inhabit the lower forms of life alluded' CO" 

 in the foregoing paper have been regarded as belonging to two genera, which Dr. Brandt has. 

 named Zoochlorella and Zoikoanthella, and which are probably in part synonymous with the genus - 

 FhilozoSn, afterwards proposed by Mr. Geddes. The latter gentleman, however, claims to have 

 first demonstrated the truth of the view that the yellow cells of radiolarians and polyps are algse ,\ 

 'secondly, the foundation of the hypothesis of the lichenoid nature, of the alliance between algae- 

 and animal into a theory of mutual dependence; and, thirdly, the transference of that view from, 

 the region of probable speculation into that of experimental science. 



Hitherto no one has apparently noticed the occurrence of green vegetable parasites ih^ 

 bivalve moUusks except Professor Leidy, who has very kindly permitted me to use the facts - 

 observed by him relating to Anodon, one of our common fresh-water Mussels. In this animal he 

 some years ago observed what must be considered to be algous parasites. He found them in 

 great numbers infesting the tissues of the Mussel and of a larger size than the nuclei of the cells of ' 

 the host in which they were imbedded. They were also provided with a nucleus, and were, there- 



