depicted it; a circumstance which has not been mentioned by Baker and
other microscopic writers, who have described it. It may be found in
great plenty in stagnant waters in spring and summer, and in infusions
of hemp-seed and tremella. Baker describes it as follows: This singular
minute water animal, seen before the microscope, appears to be exactly
globular, without either head, tail, or fins. It moves in all
directions, forwards or backwards, up or down, rolling over and over
like a bowl, spinning horizontally like a top, or gliding along smoothly
without turning itself at all. Sometimes its motions are very slow, at
other times very swift; and when it pleases, it can turn round as upon
an axis very nimbly, without moving out of its place. The body is
transparent, except where the circular spots are placed, which are
probably its young. The surface of the body in some is as it were dotted
all over with little points, and in others, as if granulated like
shagreen. Baker thought also that in general it appeared as if it was
set round with short moveable hairs. By another writer they are thus
described: These animalcula are at first very small, but grow so large
as to be discerned with the naked eye; they are of a yellowish green
colour, globular figure, and in substance membranaceous and transparent.
In the midst of this substance several small globes may be perceived;
each of these are smaller animalcula, which have also their diaphanous
membrane, and contain within themselves still smaller generations, which
may be distinguished by the assistance of very powerful glasses. The
larger globules may be seen to escape from the parent, and then increase
in size, as has been already observed.
22. VOLVOX MORUM. V. membranaceus orbicularis, centro moleculis
sphæricis viridibus. Membranaceous orbicular, with spherical green
molecules in the center.
This animalculum has some resemblance to the volvox uva, but is
sufficiently distinguished by the surrounding bright orbicular membrane:
the middle part is full of clear green globules. The globules seldom
move, though a quivering motion may sometimes be perceived at the
center. It has a slow rotatory motion, and is found amongst the lemna,
in the months of October and December.
23. VOLVOX UVA. V. globosus, moleculis sphæricis virescentibus nudis.
Globular volvox, composed of green spherical globules, which are not
inclosed in a common membrane.
This animalculum seems to be a kind of medium between the volvox pilula,
No. 16, and the gonium pectorale, No. 114, being, like the one, composed
of green spherules, and in form, resembling the other. It consists of a
congeries of equal globules of a greenish colour, with a bright spot in
the middle; the whole mass is sometimes of a spherical form, sometimes
oval, without any common membrane; a kind of halo may be perceived round
it, but whether this is occasioned by the motion of any invisible hairs
has not been discovered. The mass generally moves from right to left,
and from left to right; scarce any motion can be discovered in the
globules themselves. It was found in the month of August, in water where
the lemna polyrrhiza was growing. Two masses of these globules have been
seen joined together. They contain from four to fifty of the globules,
of which a solitary one may now and then be found.
24. VOLVOX VEGETANS. V. ramulis simplicibus et dichitomis, rosula
globulari terminatis. A volvox with simple dichitomous branches,
terminating in a little bunch of globules.
It consists of a number of floccose opake branches, which are invisible
to the naked eye; at the apex of these there is a little congeries of
very minute oval pellucid corpuscles. Müller at first thought it to be a
species of microscopic and river sertularia; but afterwards he found
the bunches quitting the branches, and swimming about in the water with
a proper spontaneous motion. Many old branches were found deserted of
their globules, while the younger branches were furnished with them. It
was found in river water in November 1779 and 1780.
IV. ENCHELIS.
Vermis inconspicuus, simplicissimus, cylindraceus. An invisible, simple,
cylindric worm.
25. ENCHELIS VIRIDIS. E. subcylindrica, antice oblique truncata. Green
enchelis, of a subcylindric figure, the fore-part truncated.
This is an opake green, subcylindric animalculum, with an obtuse tail,
the fore-part terminating in an acute truncated angle; the intestines
obscure and indistinct. It is continually varying in its motion, turning
from right to left.
26. ENCHELIS PUNCTIFERA. E. viridis, subcylindracea, antice obtusa,
postice acuminata, Plate XXV. Fig. 8. Green enchelis, subcylindric, the
fore-part obtuse, the hinder part pointed.
It is an opake animalculum, of a green colour; there is a small pellucid
spot in the fore-part _a_, in which two black points may be seen; a kind
of double band, _c c_, crosses the middle of the body. The hinder part
is pellucid and pointed; an incision is discovered at the apex of the
fore-part, which seems to be the mouth. When in motion, the whole of it
appears opake and green. It is found in marshes.
27. ENCHELIS DESES. E. viridis, cylindrica, subacuminata gelatinosa.
Green, cylindrical, gelatinous, the end somewhat pointed.
The body is round, the colour a very dark green, so that it is quite
opake; the fore-part is bluntly rounded off, the hinder-part is somewhat
tapering, but finishes with a rounded end. From its opacity, no internal
parts can be discovered; there is a degree of transparency near the
ends. It is exceeding idle, moving very slowly; to be found, though
rarely, in an infusion of lemnæ.
28. ENCHELIS SIMILIS. E. obovato opaca, interaneis mobilibus. Enchelis,
of an egg-shape, opake with moveable intestines.
It is an opake body, with a pellucid margin; both extremities are
obtuse, but the upper one much more so than the under one; it is filled
with moveable spherules. Its motion is generally quick, either to the
right or the left; it is probably furnished with hairs, because, when
moving rapidly, the margin appears striated. It is found in water that
has been kept for months.
29. ENCHELIS SEROTINA. E. ovato cylindracea, interaneis immobilibus.
Enchelis partly oval, partly cylindrical, the interior parts immoveable.
An oval animalculum, round the fore-part smaller than the hind-part, the
margin of a black colour; it is replete with grey vesicular molecules,
and moves slowly.
30. ENCHELIS NEBULOSA. E. ovato-cylindracea, interaneis manifestis
mobilibus. Oval and cylindric enchelis, with visible moveable
intestines.
The body is shaped like an egg, the fore-part narrow, and often filled
with opake confused intestines; in moving, it elevates the fore-part of
the body. It is found in the same water as the cyclidium glaucoma, No.
86, but is three times its size, and considerably more scarce.
31. ENCHELIS SEMINULUM. E. cylindracea æqualis. Enchelis equally
cylindric.
It is a cylindrical animalculum, twice as long as it is broad, the fore
and hind-part of the same size; the intestines in the fore-part are
pellucid, those in the hinder-part obscure. It moves by ascending and
descending alternately. It may be seen sometimes swimming about with the
extremities joined together. Found in water that has been kept for some
days.
32. ENCHELIS INTERMEDIA. E. cylindracea, hyalina, margine nigricante.
Cylindrical enchelis, transparent, with a blackish margin.
This animalculum forms an intermediate kind between the monas punctum,
the enchelis seminulum, and the cyclidium milium. It is one of the
smallest among the animalcula. The body is transparent, it has no
visible intestines, the fore and hind-part are of an equal size, the
edge of a deeper colour than the rest of the body; a point is to be seen
in the middle of some of them; in others, it is as if a line passed
through the middle.
33. ENCHELIS OVULUM. E. cylindrico-ovato hyalina. Egg-shaped transparent
enchelis.
A transparent, round, egg-shaped animalculum; nothing is discovered
withinside, even by the third magnifier; but, with an increased power,
some long foldings may be seen on the superficies, and here and there a
few bright molecules.
34. ENCHELIS PIRUM. E. inverse conica, postice hyalina. Pear-form
enchelis, the hinder-part transparent.
This enchelis is lively and pellucid, the fore-part is protuberant, and
filled with molecules, the hinder-part smaller and empty; it has
moveable molecular intestines. Its motion is rapid, passing backwards
and forwards through the diameter of the drop. When at rest, it seems to
have a little swelling, or tubercle, on the middle of the body.
35. ENCHELIS TREMULA. E. ovato-cylindracea, gelatina. Oval enchelis,
cylindrical, gelatinous.
This is also to be placed amongst the most minute animalcula; the end of
it is rather pointed, and has a tremulous motion; it almost induces one
to think it has a tail. Two of these little creatures may at times be
perceived to adhere together. It was found in an infusion with the
paramæcia aurelia, No. 93, and many other animalcula.
36. ENCHELIS CONSTRICTA. E. obovata, crystallina, medio coarctata.
Sub-oval enchelis, crystalline, with a stricture in the middle.
An animalculum of an oval shape, the middle part drawn in, as if a
string was tied round it. It is of a very small size, and is found in
salt water.
37. ENCHELIS PULVISCULUS. E. elliptica, interaneorum congerie viridi. Of
an elliptic shape, with a congeries of green intestines.
It is a round animalculum, pellucid, the fore-part obtuse, the hind-part
rather sharp, marked with green spots; myriads may sometimes be seen
wandering about in one drop; it is found among the green matter on the
sides of the vessels in which water has been kept for some time.
38. ENCHELIS FUSUS. E. cylindracea, utraque extremitate angustiore
truncata. Cylindrical enchelis, both ends truncated.
The body is round and transparent, the fore and hind-part smaller than
the rest of the body, and equally so, the ends a little truncated. In
the inside a long and somewhat winding intestine, a sky-coloured bright
fluid, and some black molecules transversely situated, may be discerned.
The motions of this animalculum are languid; it was found in pure water.
39. ENCHELIS FRITILLUS. A cylindric enchelis, the fore-part truncated.
This is one of the most transparent animalcula; the hinder-part of an
obtuse convexity, the fore-part truncated. Müller suspects that there is
a rotatory organ in the fore-part. No intestines can be seen. It runs
backwards and forwards through the drop in a diametrical line, with a
wavering motion; sometimes turns round for a moment, but presently
enters on its usual course. Is found in an infusion of grass and hay.
40. ENCHELIS CAUDATA. E. elongata, antice obtusa, postice in caudam
hyalinam attenuata, Plate XXV. Fig. 9. Enchelis with a long body, the
fore-part obtuse, the hinder-part diminishing into a kind of tail.
The body is of a grey colour, pellucid, with globular molecules divided
from each other, and dispersed through the whole body; the fore-part a,
thick and obtuse, the hind-part b, crystalline and small, the end
truncated. It is but seldom met with.
41. ENCHELIS EPISTOMIUM. E. cylindrico-elongata, apice gracili
subgloboso. Enchelis with a long cylindric body, the fore-part slender
and roundish.
It is among the smaller animalcula, the body is cylindrical and bright,
the hinder-part obtuse, the fore-part smaller, and terminating in a
globule; a black line may now and then be perceived down the middle of
it.
42. ENCHELIS GEMMATA. E. cylindracea, serie globulorum duplici, in
collum hyalinum producta. Enchelis with a cylindrical body, the upper
part prolonged into a transparent neck, a double series of globules
running down the body. Its motion is slow, and generally in a straight
line; it is found in ditch-water where the lemna thrives.
43. ENCHELIS RETROGRADA. E. hyalina, antice angustata, apice globulari.
Plate XXV. Fig. 11 and 12. Transparent enchelis, the fore-part rather
smaller, and terminating in a small globule.
It has a gelatinous transparent body; no visible intestines, though a
pellucid globule is discoverable near the hinder-part; the body is
thickest in the middle, and grows smaller towards each end. It generally
moves side-ways, sometimes in a retrograde manner; and if it be
obstructed in its motion, draws itself up, as it is represented at Fig.
11.
44. ENCHELIS FESTINANS. E. cylindrica oblonga, obtusa, antice hyalina.
Oblong cylindrical enchelis; the ends obtuse, the fore-part
transparent.
The body is round, of an equal size throughout, and both ends obtuse;
more than half the length is without any visible intestines, the lower
end full of vesicular, pellucid, minute globules; a large globular
vesicle is also to be found in the fore-part; it moves quickly from one
side to the other, in a reeling or staggering manner. It was found in
sea water.
45. ENCHELIS FARCIMEN. E. cylindracea curvata utrinque truncata. A
cylindric enchelis, crooked and truncated at both ends.
The body of this is cylindrical, about four times as long as broad,
even, truncated at both ends, the intestines opake, and not to be
distinguished from one another; it turns the extremities opposite ways,
so as to form the figure of an S. It is to be found in water that has
stood for some time, though but seldom. Joblot found it in an infusion
of corn centaury or blue-bottle; it moves in an undulatory manner, but
very slowly.
46. ENCHELIS INDEX. E. inverse conica, apicis altero angulo producto.
Enchelis in the form of an inverted cone, one edge of the apex produced
out so as to form an angle with the other part.
The body rather opake, of a grey colour, and of a long conical figure;
the lower end obtuse, the fore-part thick, one side of this part
projecting like a finger from the edge; two very small projections
proceed also sometimes from the lower end. This animalculum has the
power of retracting these projections, and making both ends appear
obtuse. It moves about but slowly, and was found in water with the lemna
minor, or least ducks-meat.
47. ENCHELIS TRUNCUS. E. cylindrica, subcapitata. Plate XXV. Fig. 10.
Cylindrical enchelis with a kind of head.
This is the largest of this kind of animalcula; the body is cylindrical,
mucose, grey, long and rather opake, the fore-part globular, the
hind-part obtuse. Something like three-teeth, c, may be sometimes seen
to proceed from one of the sides; it can alter its shape considerably.
Globules of different sizes may be seen within the body. It rolls about
slowly from right to left.
48. ENCHELIS LARVA. E. elongata, medio papillula utrinque notata. A long
enchelis, with two little nipples projecting from the middle of the
body, one on each side.
It is long, round, and filled with grey molecules; the fore-part is
obtuse and pellucid; a kind of neck or small contraction is formed at
some little distance from this end. The lower part pointed; about the
middle of the body there are two small projections.
49. ENCHELIS SPATULA. E. cylindrica striata, apice hyalino spatulata. A
cylindrical striated enchelis, the fore-part transparent, and of the
shape of a spatula.
This animalculum is perfectly cylindrical, very pellucid, of a
crystalline appearance; it is marked with very fine longitudinal
furrows, and has generally two transparent globules, one placed below
the middle, the other near the extremity of the body; on the other side
are five smaller ones, which are oval. The top is dilated, with the
corners rounded like the spatula, or instrument for spreading plaisters.
It has a wavering kind of motion, folding the spatula variously, yet
retaining its general form. Müller mentions his seeing it once draw the
spatula into the body, and keep it there for two hours, when it again
appeared.
50. EXCHELIS PUPULA. A cylindric enchelis, the fore-part papillary.
The fore-part is protuberantly round, and rather opake, the hind-part
pellucid, both extremities obtuse, furnished with a papillary
finger-shaped head, the hinder part marked with a transparent circle, or
circular aperture. The fore-part filled up with moveable molecules,
which are more scarce in the hinder-part. It has a rotatory motion on a
longitudinal axis, and moves through the water in an oblique direction.
It is to be found in dunghill water in November and December.
51. ENCHELIS PUPA. E. ventricoso cylindrica, apice in papillam producta.
Enchelis forming a kind of ventricose cylinder, with a small nipple
proceeding from the apex.
It is not unlike the preceding animalculum, but is much larger; the
anterior end not so obtuse, the nipple gradually formed from the
fore-part, all but this end is opake, and filled with obscure particles:
it has no transparent circle, as was observed in the enchelis pupula.
Its motion is exceeding slow.
V. VIBRIO.
Vermis inconspicuus, simplicissimus, teres, elongatus. An invisible
worm, very simple, round, and rather long.
52. VIBRIO LINEOLA. V. linearis minutissimus. Very small linear vibrio.
This is one of the most minute animalcula, surpassing in slenderness the
monas termo, No. 1. The greatest magnifier exhibits little more than a
tremulous motion of myriads of little oblong obscure points. In a few
days it almost fills the whole substance of the water in vegetable
infusions.
53. VIBRIO RUGULA. V. linearis flexuosus. Vibrio like a bent line.
Myriads of this species may be found; it is between the vibrio lineola,
just described, and the vibrio undula, No. 55. It appears as a little
line, which is sometimes drawn up in an undulated shape, and moves
backwards and forwards in a straight line, often without bending the
body at all.
54. VIBRIO BACILLUS. V. linearis, æqualis utrinque truncata. Linear
vibrio, equally truncated at both ends.
This is an exceeding small creature, but visible with the third lens; in
a certain position of the light, transparent. It is gelatinous, and not
half so large as the monas lens, No. 5, though six, and sometimes ten
times longer; it is everywhere of an equal size, and has no visible
intestines; its action is languid, the serpentine flexures of the body
are with great difficulty perceived. Müller made two infusions of hay in
the same water, and at the same time, in the one he put the hay whole,
in the other it was cut in small pieces; in the first there were none of
the vibrio bacillus, but many of the monas lens and kolpoda cucullus,
No. 108; in the latter, many of the vibrio bacillus, and few of the
monæ.
55. VIBRIO UNDULA. V. filiformis flexuosus. A filiform flexuous vibrio.
A perfect undulating little line, round, gelatinous, without any visible
intestines. It is never straight; when at rest it resembles the letter
V, when in motion the letter M, or a bending line like that which geese
form in their flight through the air; its motions are so rapid, that the
eye can scarce follow them. It generally rests upon the top of the
water, sometimes it fixes itself obliquely by one extremity, and whirls
itself round. This is the little creature that Leeuwenhoeck says exceeds
in slenderness the tail of the animalculum seminale, which he has
described in Fig. 5, Epis. Phys. 41, being an hundred times less than a
mustard-seed, and on which he makes the following very just observation:
That as these very small animalcula can contract and variously fold
their little tails, we must conclude that tendons and muscles are as
necessary to them as to other animals; if to these we add the organs of
sensation, and those of the intestines, the mind is lost in the
astonishment which arises from the impression of infinite, in the
indefinitely small.
56. VIBRIO SERPENS. V. filiformis, ambagibus in angulum obtusum
productis. A filiform vibrio, the windings or flexures obtuse.
A slender gelatinous little animal, in the form of a long serpentine
line, all the bendings being nearly equal in size, and at equal
distances; it generally moves in a straight line; an intestine may be
discovered down the middle. It is to be found in river water, but is not
commonly to be met with.
57. VIBRIO SPIRILLUM. V. filiformis, ambagibus in angulum acutum
tornatis. Filiform vibrio, twisted something like a spiral wire or
cork-screw, the bending acute.
It is an exceeding minute, singular creature, twisted in a spiral form;
the shape of these bendings remains the same even when the animal is in
motion, not occasioned by any internal force, but are its natural shape.
It moves generally in a straight line, vibrating the hind and
fore-parts. It was found in 1782, in an infusion of the sonchus
arvensis, or corn sow-thistle.
58. VIBRIO VERMICULUS. V. tortuosus gelatinus. This little vibrio is
twisted and gelatinous.
The body is white, or rather of a milky appearance, cylindric, long, the
apex obtuse, rather growing smaller, and twisted towards the hind-part.
Its motion is languid and undulatory, like that of the common worm; it
sometimes moves quicker, but with seeming labour. When it bends itself
alternately from one side to the other, a black long line may be
discovered, sometimes whole, sometimes broken: when at rest, it
occasionally twists into various folds. It may be observed easily with
the first lens of the single microscope, and is probably the same
animalculum mentioned by Leeuwenhoeck in all his works, as found in the
dung of frogs, and in the spawn of the male libellula. It is to be found
in marshy water in November, though but seldom.
59. VIBRIO INTESTINUM. V. gelatinosus, teres, antice angustatus. This
vibrio is gelatinous, round, the fore-part small.
It is cylindric, milk-coloured, and slender towards the top, both ends
obtuse; no traces of intestines to be discovered, though four or five
spherical eggs are perceived at the extremity of the hind-part. It can
draw the fore-part so much inwards as to give it a truncated and dilated
appearance, something like a spatula. Its motion is slow and
progressive. It is found in marshy waters.
60. VIBRIO BIPUNCTATUS. V. linearis, æqualis, utraque extremitate
truncata, globulis binis mediis. Linear vibrio, of an equal size
throughout, both ends truncated, and two small globules in the middle of
the body.
It is of a small size, and rather less than the following animalculum;
the body is of a pellucid talc-like appearance, the fore and hind-part
truncated; in the middle are two (sometimes there is only one) pellucid
globules, placed lengthwise. It most commonly moves forward in a
straight line; its movements are slow. It was found in fetid salt water.
61. VIBRIO TRIPUNCTATUS. V. linearis, utrinque attenuatus, globulis
tribus, extremis minoribus. Linear vibrio, both the ends smaller than
the middle, furnished with three globular points, the two which are at
the extremities being smaller than that at the middle.
The body is pellucid, talky, each of the ends rather tapering, furnished
with three pellucid globules, the middle one is the largest; the space
between these globules is generally filled with a green matter; in some
there is nothing of the green substance near the extremities, but only
about the middle. It seldom moves far, and then its motion is
rectilinear, backwards and forwards.
62. VIBRIO PAXILIFER. V. flavescens paleis gregariis multifariam
ordinatis. Plate XXV. Fig. 13, 14, 15. Yellow, gregarious, straw-like
vibrio.
This is a wonderful animalculum, or rather a congeries of animalcula. It
is invisible to the naked eye, and consists of a transparent membrane,
with yellow intestines, and two or three visible points; they are
generally found collected together in different parcels, from seven to
forty in number, and ranged in a variety of forms, sometimes in a
straight line, as in Fig. 14, then forming the concave Figure 13, at
others, moving in a zig-zag direction, as in Fig. 15; when at rest they
are generally in a quadrangular form, and found in great plenty with the
ulva latissima, or brown laver.