THE YOrNG SCIENTIST. 
129 
moving towards it. Tlie oesopliagus 
terminates in a digestive tube, lili:e tlie 
trunlc of a tree, from wliicli numerous 
ioranclies spring. Tliis arrangement is 
probably analogous to that of the phle- 
benterous mollusks described by Quatre- 
I'ages, in which the ramifications of the 
stomach answer the purpose of arteries, 
and convey the nutrient fluid to various 
parts of the body. It is also likely that 
they minister to the function of respir- 
ation. 
The cilia on the surface, w^hich are 
arranged in ]mrallel lines, are best ob- 
served when the animal is slightly flat- 
tened in a live-box ; but this process pro- 
duces a considerable derangement in the 
relative position of the internal parts, and 
they can only be well seen when it is im- 
mersed in plenty of water, and is polite 
•enough to stand still, and submit his 
digestive economy to a steady gaze. The 
only way to succeed in this undertaking 
is to have a large stock of patience as well 
as a convenient cell or trough. The table 
must be kept steady, and the prisoner 
watched from time to time, and at last he 
will be found ready for display. 
Pritchard says this animal, whose 
name is Trachelius ovum, is an inhabitant 
of stagnant bog water, and has been found 
encysted. My specimens could not be 
called plentiful, but for several weeks I 
could generally find two or three, by fill- 
ing a four-ounce vial from the glass jar, 
and examining its contents with a pocket- 
lens. If none were present, another dip 
was made, and usually with success. 
One evening I caught a good specimen 
by means of the dipping-tube, and cau- 
tiously let it out, accompanied by a drop of 
water, on the glass floor of the live-box. 
A glance with the pocket-lens showed all 
was right, and the cover was very gently 
put on, but it had scarcely touched the 
-creature when it became crumi)led up and 
In confusion. On one or two former oc- 
casions I had been unfortunate enough to 
give my captives a squeeze too much, with 
the usual result of a rupture of their in- 
teguments and an escape of globules and 
fluids from the regions within. Now, 
however, there was no such rupture and 
no such escape, but instead of a smooth, 
<;omely surface, my Trachelius had lost 
all title to his specific designation, ovum, 
iov instead of bearing any resemblance to 
an egg, it was more like an Irishman's 
hat after having a bit of a shindy " at 
Don ny brook Fair. 
I was greatly puzzled with this aspect 
of things, and still more so when mv 
-deranged specimen twirled and bumped 
about with considerable velocity, and in 
all directions. Presently a decided con- 
striction appeared about half-way below 
the mouth and proboscis, and in trans- 
verse direction. The ciliary motion be- 
came very violent in the lower half just 
below the constriction, while the pro- 
boscis worked hard to make its half go 
another way. For some minutes there 
was a tug of war, and at length away went 
proboscis with his portion, still much 
crumpled by the fight, and left the other 
bit to roam at will, gradually smooth his 
puckers, and assume the appearance of a 
respectable well-to-do animalcule. 
Three hours after the "fission" the 
proboscis half was not unlike the former 
self of the late " entire," but with dimin- 
ished body and larger neck ; while the 
remaining portion had assumed a flask 
form, and would not have been known 
by his dearest acquaintance. The por- 
traits of the clis- United States were quickly 
taken, and, as bed-time had arrived, they 
Trachetius ovum, three hours after division. X60. 
were left to darkness and themselves. 
The next morning a change had come 
over the " spirit of their dream." Both 
were quiet, or sedately moving, and they 
were nearly alike. The proboscis fellow 
had increased and rounded his body, and 
diminished his nose ; while Mr. Flask had 
grown round also, and evinced an intention 
of cultivating a proboscis himself. 
Twenty-seven hours after the separation, 
both had made considerable progress in 
arranging and developing their insides, 
which had been thrown into great con- 
fusion by the way in which the original 
animal had been wrenched in half, and in 
both a granular mass was forming op- 
posite the mouth end. The ]>roboscis 
portion, which may perha|)S be termed 
the mother, was more advanced than her 
progeny, but both had a great deal to do 
if they meant to exhibit the original figure, 
and develop a set of bowels as elegantly 
branched. Whether they would have 
succeeded or not under happier circum- 
stances I cannot tell, but unfortunately 
the Fate who carries the scissors cut short 
their days. 
In all other animalcules in which I had 
observed the process of multiplication by 
self-division, it seems to go on smoothly, 
and with no discomfort to either the divi- 
dend or the quotient, and it may be that 
in the fission of the Trachelius ovum I 
witnessed what the doctors would call a 
bad case. Indeed it may have been pre- 
