Scientific American Supplement, No. 470, January 3, 1885Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 470, January 3, 1885
Various
Science -- Periodicals
It is characteristic of this group of organic forms that multiplication
by self-division is the common and continuous method of increase. The
other and essential method was comparatively rare and always obscure. In
this instance, on the first occasion the continuous observation of the
same "field" for five days failed to disclose to us any other method of
increase but this multiple-fission, and it was only the intense
suggestiveness of past experience that kept us still alert and prevented
us from inferring that it was the _only_ method. But eventually we
perceived that while this was the prevailing phenomenon, there were
scattered among the other forms of the same monad _larger_ than the rest,
and with a singular granular aspect toward the flagellate end. It may be
easily contrasted with the normal or ordinary form. Now by doggedly
following one of these through all its wanderings a wholly new phase in
the morphology of the creature was revealed. This roughened or granular
form seized upon and fastened itself to a form in the ordinary condition.
The two swam freely together, both flagella being in action, but it was
shortly palpable that the larger one was absorbing the lesser. The
flagellum of the smaller one at length moved slower, then sluggishly, then
fell upon the sarcode, which rapidly diminished, while the bigger form
expanded and became vividly active until the two bodies had actually fused
into one. After this its activity diminished, in a few minutes the body
became quite still, leaving only a feeble motion in the flagellum, which
soon fell upon the body-substance and was lost. All that was left now was
a still spheroidal glossy speck, tinted with a brownish yellow. A
peculiarity of this monad is the extreme uncertainty of the length of time
which may elapse before even the most delicate change in this sac is
visible. Its absolute stillness may continue for ten or more hours. During
this time it is absolutely inert, but at last the sac--for such it
is--opens gently, and there is poured out a brownish glairy fluid. At
first the stream is small, but at length its flow enlarges the rift in the
cyst, and the cloudy volume of its contents rolls out, and the hyaline
film that inclosed it is all that is left.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account