Scientific American Supplement, No. 470, January 3, 1885Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 470, January 3, 1885
Various
Science -- Periodicals
If now it be sharply and specially looked for, it will be seen that the
root of the flagella _splits_, dividing henceforth into two separate
pairs. At the same moment a motion is set up which pulls the divided pairs
asunder, making the interval of sarcode to grow constantly greater between
them. During this time the nuclear body has commenced and continued a
process of self-division; from this moment the organism grows rapidly
rounder, the flagella swiftly diverge. A bean-like form is taken; the
nucleus divides, and a constriction is suddenly developed; this deepens;
the opposite position of the flagella ensues, the nearly divided forms
now vigorously pull in opposite directions, the constriction is thus
deepened and the tail formed. The fiber of sarcode, to which the
constricted part has by tension been reduced, now snaps, and two organisms
go free. It will have struck you that the new organism enters upon its
career with only _two_ flagella, and the normal organism is possessed of
four. But in a few minutes, three or four at most, the full complement
were always there. How they were acquired it was the work of months to
discover, but at last the mystery was solved. The newly-fissioned form
darted irregularly and rapidly for a brief space, then fixed itself to the
floor or to a rigid object by the ends of its flagella, and, with its body
motionless, an intense vibratory action was set up along the entire length
of these exquisite fibers. Rapidly the ends split, one-half being in each
fiber set free, and the other remaining fixed, and in 130 seconds each
entire flagellum was divided into a perfect pair.
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