72 
THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
being the germs of new organisms. The whole 
globe is enveloped in a delicate network, like 
that surrounding a balloon. Projecting from 
each intersection of the net-strands, two hairy 
filaments are noticed, by means of which the 
motion of the body is obtained. Often the 
movement of the parent globe is arrested, and 
for a moment it seems turning on a pivot, and 
then comes nearly to rest. If now watched 
closely, a rupture is seen to take place, and one 
of the green spores makes its escape, when 
parent and child at once part company, each 
moving off, indifferent as to the fate of the 
other. This, in brief, gives the general for¬ 
mation and destiny of the Volvox. Were de¬ 
scriptive science the object of these studies, 
many hours could be passed in giving the won¬ 
derful endowments of these gems of the pond, 
their mutations and modes of propagation. But 
this is not our purpose; we study to admire the 
work and adore the Worker, and so will not 
cumber our thoughts nor dull our sensibilities 
by detail and technicalties. 
“To enjoy a personal inspection of these ex¬ 
quisite productions of Nature, the microscope 
must be used. With this instrument in hand. 
