356 ON THE STRUCTURE OF NOCTILUCA MILIARIS 



Ouatrefages and Krohn consider that a process of fissipa'rous 

 multiplication takes place in Noctiluca , both of these observers 

 having found double individuals, though very rarely. According to 

 the latter writer, division of the body is preceded by that of the 

 nucleus. I have not had the good fortune to meet with any of these 

 forms, and the only indication of a possible reproductive apparatus 

 which I have seen consisted of a number of granular, vesicular bodies 

 (fig. 5 h), of about i -2000th inch in diameter, scattered over the 

 surface of the anterior and inferior part of the body. 



Such is what repeated examination leads me to believe is the 

 structure of Noctiluca ; but if the preceding account be correct it is 

 obvious that the animal is no Rhizopod, but must be promoted from 

 the lowest ranks of the Protozoa to the highest. 



The existence of a dental armature and of a distinct anal aperture, 

 are structural peculiarities which greatly increase the affinity to such 

 forms as Colpoda and ParamcBcium, indicated by Krohn. Noctiluca 

 might be regarded as a gigantic Infusorium with the grooved body of 

 Colpoda, the long process of Trachelius, and the dental armature of 

 Nassula united in one animal. 



On the other hand, the general absence of cilia over the body, and 

 the wide differences in detail, would require the constitution of at 

 least a distinct family for this singular creature. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE V. [XXVII.] 



Fig. I. Noctilicca mzHaris, from above. 



Fig. 2. The animal viewed from behind, showing the groove. 



Fig. 3. A latero-inferior view, displaying the oral aperture, the cilium, the tooth, a gastric- 

 pouch, and the anal (?) aperture. 

 Fig. 4. Theoral aperture on a larger scale. 

 Fig. 5. Antero-superior view, showing the nucleus, the fibres and fibrils, the tooth and 



reproductive (?) granules. 

 Fig. 6. The superficial network of granules and fibrils, a. Tentacle, b. Groove, c. Nucleus. 



d. Tooth, e Gastric pouches. / Anal aperture, g. Radiating fibres and fibrils.. 



h. Reproductive (?) granules. 



