BoswELL on Actinophrys Sol. 
25 
Remarks on Actinophrys Sol. By R. S. Bos well, Spring 
Hill Cottage, Charmouth, Dorset, (Read Oct. 26, 1853.) 
In an interesting paper in the ' Journal,' of a description 
of Actinophrys Sol, by A. Kolliker, &c., (Vol. I., pp. 25 
and 98,) the author, after entering into a very minute descrip- 
tion of this curious animalcule, says : — " The creature also 
seems to be capable of altering its entire form to a certain 
extent, and to be able to expand and again contract itself iji 
toto. More extensive and more energetic movements do not 
occur at all, and I am consequently altogether ignorant as to 
how locomotion of the animal is effected." My object in 
sending this short notice is to give him that information which 
he seems to want, though perhaps by this time he may have 
made the same discovery as myself, if not, it cannot but be 
interesting, not only to him, but also to others, who take an 
interest in these minute wonders of creation. 
The " Sun animalcule " is very common in this part of 
Dorsetshire ; it abounds in pools where Desmidiece are found ; 
they are ravenous feeders, not only upon the Desmidiece, but 
also upon all kinds of minute spores and animalcules. It was 
on examining some beautiful DesmidiecB, a few evenings 
back, that my attention was arrested by the curious appearance 
of two or three very small Actinophrys floating very lightly 
upon the surface of the water in the form of a ball, with their 
delicate tentacular filaments perfectly erect all over their 
bodies ; in fact, they seemed to be floating upon these delicate 
filaments. This beautiful and curious appearance, so different 
from what I had generally observed, induced me to request 
Mrs. Boswell to look at it, but, while she was rising from her 
seat, I exclaimed, " You are too late, the little creature has 
given a leap, and I have lost it but upon moving the slide 
in the direction of the leap, I found the creature composedly 
resting in the usual manner upon the surface of the water — 
that is, in a flat position. This was not a solitary instance, for 
about five minutes after another gave a similar leap : the dis- 
tance must have been very great considering the size of the 
animal, as it was in the centre of the disc under Messrs. 
Smith and Beck's 2-3rd object-glass with the second eye-piece, 
and I had to travel full an inch beyond the radius. These are 
the only two instances I have met with at present, not having 
made the little creature my peculiar study. 
I have frequently mounted the Actinophrys Sol with Des- 
midiece, but they generally burst at the edge of the sphere 
owing to the pressure of the glass cover, although they are to 
VOL. II. d 
