Clathrulina elegans, Cienkowsky , in Essex. 51 
to paralyse any minute organisms that may come into con¬ 
tact with them; the captive is sometimes drawn gradually 
to the body of the Clathrulina , and absorbed ; hut sometimes 
remains fixed, and the ray to which it is attached becomes 
thickened, and the body-contents of the prey is conveyed to 
the interior of the rhizopod as it were through a tube. 
“Buds” or “spores” [sarcode-bodies] are produced, which 
appear to come through the holes in the capsule, and which 
glide about the body and stem of the parent for some time. 
These bodies then appear to make their way along the root- 
fibre or other support to which the parent is attached, and 
to become fixed, eventually growing into the form of the 
mature Clathrulina. Having attained the age at which the 
rays disappear, the body-substance within the capsule breaks 
up into spherical masses or “balls,” which is probably a 
process of reproduction; but up to the present time I have 
not observed that any change takes place in the appearance 
of the spores, or that they are broken up in any way. The 
number of “balls” found in each capsule in the natural 
condition is eight, but in captivity the number formed is less, 
in a solitary instance being one only. On Plate I. a group 
of six specimens is shown, each being in the position and 
condition as when first observed by me. A sketch of a young 
specimen one day old, developed during my observations, is 
given in fig. 7, and fig. 8 represents the same at the age of 
seven days, since which it has not increased in size. Fig. 5 
depicts a specimen in full vigour, and fig. 4 one still older, 
with a “bud” or “spore” [sarcode-body] outside the capsule. 
Figs. 3 and 6 are optical sections showing the balls within 
the capsules, and the absence of pseudopodia in that stage ; 
and finally, fig. 2 is an old and possibly decayed specimen, 
without rays, and apparently consisting only of the spherical 
silicious capsule, the protoplasmic contents having dis¬ 
appeared. 
[Mr. Thomas has suggested our giving, as an addendum to 
the above, a brief sketch of the history of the very interesting 
organism he has added to our Essex microzoan fauna. 
Clathrulina (so named from its beautiful latticed capsule) 
