52 THE UNIVERSE. 



Three animalcules have especially acquired celebrity 

 in the annals of the resurrectionists. These are first of 

 all the Rotiferte, after them the Tardigrades, and then the 

 Anguillulge of our roofs. 



The first are really very curiou.s microscopic animals. 

 They are recognized at the first glance by two structures 

 like disks, which they protrude in front of their bodies, 

 and the ciliated borders of which closely resemble little 

 toothed wheels in movement. From this they are com- 

 monly called wheel-bearers. They live in great numbers 

 in the mosses which fasten themselves to the old tiles on 

 our roofs. There their existence is subjected to a host 

 of changes. When it is damp and the soil is steeped with 

 water, rendered tepid by the warmth, the Rotiferpe are active 

 and lively, running about everywhere to seek their food. 

 But when a poweiful sun heats the roof and dries the 

 mosses, they remain shrivelled up so long as this state of 

 things lasts, contracting themselves like a ball, and remain in 

 this condition, perfectly inanimate, till the rain revives them. 



This kind of life, by compelling the animals to rest for 

 a considerable while contracted and motionless, has in- 

 duced the belief that they die at such times. This im- 

 pression was strengthened by the fact, that so soon as 

 ever they are placed in a drop of water, they swell, recover 

 animation, and again take on an active existence. This 

 very simple fact the believers in palingenesis looked upon 

 as a resurrection. But this pretended revival is only the 

 same phenomenon as is exhibited by the snail, which, when 

 placed in a dry spot, buries itself in its shell till a little 

 moisture is imparted to it. 



It has been maintained that the contracted rotifer is 

 absolutely dry, and consequently dead, but this is not the 

 case. When it is thoroughly dried it never recovers. 



