338 
ORIGIN OF INFUSORIA, 
men consider, that the existence of germs in the atmosphere 
is disproved, as the small quantity of filtered infusion may 
not have contained enough of some particular substance to 
facilitate the development of any germs which might have 
fallen into it. 
It is evident that controversies of this kind tend to clear 
up obscure points in the history of infusoria, and it is a pity 
that in England, as on the Continent, they cannot be regarded 
from a purely scientific point of view. It is not honest to 
take no account of facts that contradict our own notions, to 
cite Pasteur, and omit Pouchet or Wyman. As the matter 
really stands, there are discrepancies which have to be 
explained, and the vast assemblage of objects grouped to¬ 
gether as “ infusoria” differ so widely in structure as to coun¬ 
tenance the idea that their mode of origin may not be the 
same. We may mention that the French Academy has 
appointed a commission, composed of MM. Milne-Edw r ards, 
Flourens, Brongniart, and Coste, to report upon the papers 
on spontaneous generation sent in to compete for the Al- 
humbert prize. 
The Eggs op Infusoria (Bctlbiani). 
Name of Species. 
Trachelius ovum 
Number of 
Eggs. 
2 
Diameter of Eggs 
in fractions of a 
millimetre.* 
0-120 
Amphileptus gigas (?) 
20—25 
0-018 
,, anas . 
2 
0-008 
Loxophyllum meleagris . 
12—15 
0-015 
Loxodes rostrum . 
15—20 
0-015 
Chilodon cucullus . 
1 0-005—0020 
Bursaria truncatella 
. 4 
0-057 
Ophryoglena flava . 
4 
0-018 
Spirostomum teres. 
2—3 
0-018 
„ ambiguum . 
20—50 
.0-014 
Stentor cseruleus . 
8—15 
0-021 
Euplotes patella 
2 
0014 
Stylonichia mytilus 
4 
0-018 
„ pustulata 
4 
o-oio 
Urostyla (undetermined) 
100 or more 
0-007 
Paramecium aurelia 
4 
0-018 
„ bursaria . . 
2—4 
0-014 
„ (undetermined) 
20—25 
0-007 
—Intellectual Observer. 
fusoria in vessels containing half a grain of chopped hay and two drachms 
of distilled water. 
* The millimetre is equal to 0‘0394 of an inch. 
