ports the stalk of the seed-vessel; and thirdly and fourthly,
two other cells, which lie on each side of the cell, supporting
the stalk of the globule. “ In ordinary tubes or cells,” Mr. Varley
writes, “ there are green vesicles regularly arranged on
the thin membrane which lines them, and the circulating fluid
appears thickened by innumerable particles, a little denser, or
not quite fluid, and with scarcely any colour. B u t in these
peculiar cells there are generally very few stationary green
vesicles, except about the angles formed by the adhesion of
other cells. The fluid within is very clear and limpid, with
many very equally sized green granules floating in it. Those
that are still, and those th a t are moving, appear to be the
same; and some are seen to stop, and some stationary ones
are seen to break loose and go o n ; they are rather larger
than the orderly arranged green vesicles of other cells; but
being loose, and the cells so glossy, they are seen very bright
and distinct. This is not a ll; for they circulate round the
cells very quickly and freely, undergoing some extraordinary
influence; for they knock against one another, appear to
stick at some places, or as if they squeezed by, and then rush
on quicker; many, as they come near particular parts of the
cells, spin round most rapidly as they go on, different particles
turning in opposite directions; and others only catch a slight
impulse to spin, suddenly turning round and back again, and
go on Avithout spinning; others, near the centre of rotation,
go round together, then start into a quick whirl, then vary
or slacken, and again start into a furious whirl, shoAving
considerable fluctuations in their motion; and in the larger
rounds they appear to receive some impulse whenever they
touch th a t part of the surface which joins the arm, as though
they were slightly electrified.” These motions precisely resemble
those of the zoospores, and are doubtless voluntary,
performed, as in their case, by means of vibratile organs or
cilia.
We Avill now describe the globule itself: this, as has
already been observed, is spherical, with a light red nucleus,
the coating being made up of about eight deeply indented
triangular segments. (See plate LXi. fig. 4.) These contain
a number of small red granules, to which the colour
of the globule Is principally owing. Within these segments
are noticed, first, the stalk of the globule, which is pyriform,
and rests upon one of the peculiar cells which have
been described. Upon the summit of this stalk rests a number
of smaller spherical or pyriform cells : these occupy the
centre of the globule, and from them proceed a number of
large cells to be inserted into the segments which form the
coating of the membrane, and by means of which their segments
are retained in their proper situation. These last cells
correspond in number with the segments, one going to each.
Lastly, interwoven together, and filling the interstices between
the cells, are numerous fine articulated threads, to be
more particularly referred to hereafter.
Now in the footstalks of the nucules and those of the globules,
as well as in the radiating cells attached to the segments, a
peculiar body or vesicle is noticed. This was first, I believe,
discovered by Mr. Varley, but has since been noticed and described
hy other observers; although its office has not yet
been determined. This vesicle is situated in the circulating
fluid of the cells, the course of which it follows, although
from its size it frequently projects some distance into the
central fluid.
In the stalk of the globule, and in those of the segments,
in addition to the transparent vesicle, there are membranes
studded with vesicles similar to those of the external and
ordinary cells, and in like manner arranged so as to show the
ascending and descending currents; but instead of being green,
as in the former case, they are bright red.
We now come to relate the most extraordinary circumstance,
not without parallel, however, in the vegetable kingdom,
connected with the history of these most interesting
productions. The spaces between the stalks of the segments,
it has been remarked, are filled up with entangled
filaments or vessels Avhich appear ringed. The contents of
each division betAveen the rings first appear angular, and subsequently
resemble a thread coiled u p ; “ after a while,” to
adopt the language of the first discoverer of the fact, “ these