190 METAMOKPHOSES OF MAN 



portion of the mass divides into two parts, one alone of 

 which possesses life ; and soon the new being, aban- 

 doning the lifeless part, leaves its temporary prison, 

 in the form of an ovoid infusorian, about one-third 

 as long as the Oxytricha. In this condition it belongs to 

 the genus Loxodes of special zoologists. After having 

 lived for some time in this condition, it again assumes 

 the ball-form ; an abundant secretion is poured out 

 over all parts of its body, and the mouth appears as a 

 small oblique slit ; a proportionally very long and 

 thick filament is pushed out from its side, and four or 

 five others show themselves posteriorly; the body, 

 convex above and almost flat below, is covered with 

 large wrinkles, and the infusorian moves about with 

 great rapidity, sometimes swimming by the aid of the 

 cilia, and at others walking with the help of the 

 filaments, which play the part of feet. Under this 

 form, which is certainly very different from those 

 which it before presented, it was known to the older 

 writers as Trichoda lynceus. 



In concluding his memoir, Haime asks whether the 

 condition of Aspidisca (Trichoda) is the final one 

 assumed by the Oxytricha, which was the starting- 

 point ? We are justified with him in doubting that 

 it is so. The reproductive bodies which are at present 

 regarded even by M. Claparede as the true ova, were 

 never found in Trichoda by this accurate observer. 

 Therefore, from what we have already seen, and from 

 what we shall see more forcibly hereafter, it results that 

 an animal which undergoes metamorphoses should not 

 be considered adult till it has clearly presented the 

 sexual attributes. It seems to me that this rule 

 should be accepted as an absolute one. It should be 



