Supposed New Species of Acinetan. 15 
of the Amceba the suction was so strong that particles were seen to 
rapidly converge from all directions to the points where the suckers 
were applied. 
After exhausting the contents of the Ameeba, one of the tentacles 
was seen to violently eject a stream of granular protoplasm. This 
was twice repeated, but the last time the act followed a slight 
pressure on the cover glass. On no other occasion was this ejection 
observed, but the query at once arises—Are these suctorial tentacles 
at times excretory in function ? 
This seems hardly credible in view of Huxley’s statement, 
“Solid food is not ingested through these tentacles” (Anatomy of 
Invertebrated Animals, Am. Ed., p. 94), but a subsequent observation 
removed this difficulty. On this latter occasion a Ciliated Infusorian 
rapidly crossing the field came in contact with one or more of the 
extended tentacles of the Acinetan, which immediately grasped the 
victim, and held it in spite of its violent struggles. Four incisions 
were made in the ectosare of the prey, and soon four rapid streams 
of protoplasm were passing into the body of the captor, rapidly 
exhausting the endosare of the Infusorian, although its cilia con- 
tinued in motion long after the animal was reduced to a mere 
fraction of its former proportions. During this process solid 
colored granules were seen to pass from the body of the victim 
through the tentacles and into the body of the Acinetan. 
This observation was verified upon at least one other occasion. 
The ingestion of solid food would seem to render an excretory 
organ necessary to the Acinetan, and if this is so it seems at least 
possible that the suctorial tentacles may serve the purpose. 
In regard to the manner of ingestion of food by the Suctoria, 
several of the leading authorities, including Maupas and 
Kent, hold that there is a double current of protoplasm in the 
tentacle, one of granular protoplasm passing into the body of the 
Acinetan, and another of colorless sarcode passing in an opposite 
direction. The writer has failed to find any evidence of the latter 
current, although his purely negative testimony is of little weight. 
Still the question might be pertinently asked: Why does not this 
colorless stream, pouring into the body of the victim, produce a 
current among the protoplasmic granules of the latter, which is 
directed away from the distal extremity of the suctorial tentacle ? 
A number of observations under favorable circumstances failed 
to disclose the existence of any such currents, although strong 
currents toward the point of incision were always distinctly seen. 
