MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS. 
young they are much smaller, and being then perfectly translucent, 
are highly interesting microscopic objects. They are found in 
abundance in the months of March and April, at the surface of 
shallow pools of clear water which contain aquatic plants. 
The back of this animalcule is protected by a tender and 
transparent shell, the belly being naked and membranous. Seen 
in profile it resembles a tortoise, but, as shown in the figure, it has 
the form of a horse-shoe. It has four feet, and two antennae 
attached to the inferior part of the body, and radiating from a 
common centre. Placed in the middle of the head, between the 
two antennae, &, are the mouth and the single eye, a, the latter 
being black, and set in a square orbit of a deep crimson colour. 
Each of the antennae has four articulations, and is furnished with 
bristles at its extremity. The feet, c c , are divided at the second 
joint, and terminate in strong pincers. The peristaltic motion of 
the alimentary canal can be distinctly perceived with the micro¬ 
scope, by observing the dark lines which run along the body of 
the animalcule. On each side of this canal are placed the 
ovaries, d , which, when they are fully developed, are distin¬ 
guished by their dark colour. The satyr swims by sudden 
impulses, moving the feet rapidly, and sometimes appears to 
slide along the internal surface of the vase. 
4. The animalcule represented in fig. 4, and reproduced from a 
drawing by Dr. Goring, 
is the linceus sphericus 
of Muller, miscalled mon- 
ocuius minutus by Lin¬ 
naeus, since it has two 
eyes sufficiently apparent. 
The figure is reproduced 
from the Microscopic 
Cabinet of Mr. Pritchard, 
where the animalcule is 
described. 
The shell or cuirass, 
which is quite trans¬ 
lucent, consists of a single 
piece, without any per¬ 
ceptible articulation. It 
possesses, however, suf¬ 
ficient elasticity to allow the animal to open it at will, after 
the manner of a common mussel. The two edges of the 
opening are seen in the figure at a, the figure being understood 
to present a profile of the object. The two eyes, a, have 
different magnitudes, and their black colour presents a striking 
92 
