387 
of vesicular structures there appears to be an exceedingly 
minute interval ; that is, the lowest vesicles or those nearest 
the central body do not seem to be in absolute contact with 
it, but separated therefrom all round by an appreciable equi- 
distant space, which, in a certain position of the focus and of 
the light, appears like a clear white even line, between the 
periphery of the inner body and the outer stratum of vesicles. 
The vesicles themselves are in contact with each other, but 
do not seem to have any mutual connection, though re- 
sembling what vegetable histologists might call a meren- 
chymatous tissue. In fact, they are somewhat easily detached 
by pressure, and can be made to float away independently. 
In fig. 5 I have depicted the appearance of an example of 
this form after having been submitted to pressure, by force of 
which a portion of the body-mass became extruded, and some 
of the outer vesicles projected to a distance. A number of 
the reddish granules are seen hard by, where they assumed a 
molecular dancing movement ; and some of the vesicles are 
also seen removed, and freely distributed in the surrounding 
water. The outline of the central body presents a sinus at 
the place whence a portion of its mass had become extruded, 
and thereat the sarcode shows a hyaline appearance, due to 
the loss of the colouring granules. The figure of the speci- 
men has been made at this point. Such an example, 
however, in a few moments — the sinus gradually becoming 
obliterated — is able to reassume the globular form, the only 
difference being that at the region whence the reddish 
granules have been expelled the body remains for a time com- 
paratively colourless, and the outer vesicles, now diminished 
in number, become rearranged pretty equidistantly over the 
periphery in a single file, or more or less interruptedly, 
instead of presenting a layer two or three or more deep, as in 
the usual examples. 
This does not appear to be a very ravenous species, but 
examples are to be met Avith containing a variety of crude 
food, such as protoccoids and minute diatoms. Sometimes 
specimens are seen containing, perhaps, some navicular diatom 
of considerable comparative length, which causes the ordinary 
orbicular form of this rhizopod to become distorted more or 
less, and to assume an elongate, or elliptic, or broadly spindle- 
shaped figure. When an unusually long diatom is taken in 
it may cause the normal outline of the rhizopod to project to 
a comparatively great extent beyond the ordinary limits at 
its two ends, these being then invested by an exceedingly thin 
and tense stratum of the sarcode body, and only a single 
layer of the outer vesicles spread over the Avhole. In fact. 
