131 
3. — II. Myxodictyum sociale. 
See Plate X, figs. 31 — 33. 
In the course of my journey homewards from the Canary 
Islands I spent ten days of the second fortnight of March, 
1867, at the little Spanish town of Algesiras, which lies 
opposite Gibraltar on the western shore of the charming bay 
of Algesiras. Here I hoped to meet with some of the rich 
swarms of oceanic life which have been observed at different 
times in the Straits of Gibraltar. But nothing of the 
expected abundance appeared, except a few Physaliae, Ye- 
lellae, and other pelagic hydromedusse, although I daily 
explored the bay in all directions with my boat. The results 
of surface fishing with the fine net were also very discourag- 
ing ; the haul consisting mainly of small medusae (EucopidseJ 
and of a great quantity of Noctiluca, Acanthometra, and of 
polycyttarian Radiolaria (Collozoum, Sphserozoum, Collo- 
sphaera, and Siphonosphaera.) In order to examine the Acan- 
thometrae, which on some days were rather common and in 
a perfect condition, and to trace the appearances of motion in 
their pseudopods, I several times scooped up water directly 
from the surface of the sea with glasses, and aft^r they had 
stood quiet for some time I again scooped the surface of the 
water standing in the glasses with a shallow watch-glass. 
This method, requiring undoubtedly some patience and care, 
is very much to be recommended when we wish to observe 
the sarcode movements of the pseudopods of small Radiolaria, 
and the true granular movements in the sarcode current, in 
fresh objects perfectly at rest. Among several Acanthometrae 
and Ommatidae which I obtained in this way I fortunately 
chanced to meet with the remarkable Rhizopod-like Moner, 
which I describe below as Myxodictyum sociale. 
As I adjusted the focus of the microscope with a moderate 
power over the surface of the water on which the Acantho- 
metrae floated, I noticed a group of small roundish radiating 
bodies lying thickly together, each of which resembled a 
small Actinophrys. When magnified 400 diameters this 
group presented the appearance shown at fig. 31. On a 
portion of the surface which formed a circle of about 0’35 
mm. diameter, a group of seventeen transparent finely- 
punctured radiating bodies appeared, each of which presented 
much the appearance of an expanded Actinophrys (sol.), or 
Trichodiscus. From each body radiated numerous fine 
branching and anastomosing threads, which united them- 
selves with those of the neighbouring bodies. In the threads 
