Part 37

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.

As this animalculum seems to have some affinity with the hair-like animal of Baker, I think the reader will be better pleased to see his description of it introduced in this place, than to have it raised into a new and distinct species.

This little animal is extremely slender, and not uncommonly one-hundred and fifty times longer than broad. Its resemblance to an hair induced Baker to call it the hair-like insect. The body or middle part, which is nearly straight, appears in some composed of such parallel rings as the windpipe of land animals consists of, but seems in others scaled, or rather made up of rings that obliquely cross each other. Its two ends are bent or hooked, pretty nearly in the same degree, but in a direction contrary each to the other; and as no eyes can be discerned, it is difficult to judge which is the head or tail. Its progressive motion differs from that of all animals hitherto described; for, notwithstanding the body is composed of many rings and joints, it seems unable to bend them, or move directly forwards; but when it is inclinable to change its quarters, it can move from right to left, or left to right, and proceed at the same time backwards or forwards obliquely; and this it performs by turning upon one end as a center, and describing with the other the quarter of a circle; then it does the same with the other end, and so alternately; whereby its progression is in a diagonal line, or from corner to corner. Of this any one may immediately be satisfied, who will take the trouble of shifting the points of a pair of compasses in that manner. All its motions are extremely slow, and require much patience and attention in the observer. It has neither feet, fins, nor hairs, but appears perfectly smooth and transparent, with the head bending one way, and the tail another, so as to be like a long Italic S; nor is any internal motion, or particularly opake part, to be perceived, which may determine one to suppose it either the stomach, or the intestines.

These creatures are so small, that millions of millions might be contained in an inch square. When viewed singly, or separated from one another, they are exceedingly transparent, and of a lovely green; but, like all other transparent bodies, when numbers of them are brought together they become opake, and lose their green colour in proportion as the quantity increases, till at last they appear entirely black.

Notwithstanding the extreme minuteness of these animalcula, they seem to be fond of society; for, on viewing for some time a parcel of them taken up at random, they will be seen to disperse themselves in a kind of regular order. If a multitude of them be put into a jar of water, they will form themselves into a regular body, and ascend slowly to the top, where, after they have remained some time exposed to the air, their green colour changes to a beautiful sky-blue. When they are weary of this situation, they form themselves into a kind of rope, which slowly descends as low as they intend.

A small quantity of the substance containing these creatures having been put into a jar of water, it so happened, that one part descended immediately to the bottom, the other continuing to float on the surface. After some time, each of these swarms of animalcula exhibited a disposition to change its quarters. Both armies, therefore, set out at the same time, the one proceeding upwards, and the other downwards; so that after some hours journey they met in the middle. A desire of knowing how they would conduct themselves on this occasion, engaged the observer to watch them carefully; and to his surprize, he saw the army that was marching upwards open to the right and left, to make room for those that were descending. Thus without confusion or intermixture each held on its way, the ascending army marching in two columns to the top, and the other proceeding in one column to the bottom, as if each had been under the direction of wise leaders.

63. VIBRIO LUNULA. V. arcuatus, utraque extremitate æquali. Plate XXV. Fig. 16. Bow-shaped vibrio, both ends of an equal size.

The body resembles much the shape of the moon at the first quarter; it is of a green colour, and has generally from seven to ten globules disposed lengthwise; the smaller ones are of a very pale colour, a pale green vacuity may sometimes be seen in the middle: some little varieties may be observed amongst them, which are not easily to be described; it will be enough to have given the reader their general and distinguishing characteristics.

64. VIBRIO VERMINUS. V. linearis compressus, antice quam postice angustior. Linear compressed vibrio, the fore-part narrower than the hind-part.

A round transparent animalculum, or rather a long crystalline membrane, the hind-part broader than the fore-part, the apex subtruncated, the base obtuse, no perceptible intestines; in the middle are two spherical vesicules, and a third towards the lower edge. It moves quickly backwards and forwards with an undulatory motion; they seem to be joined in a very singular manner, and were found in great plenty in salt water that had been kept several days, till it became fetid.

65. VIBRIO MALLÆUS. V. linearis basi globuli, apice linea transversa. A linear vibrio, with a globule at the base, and transverse line at the apex.

This is a white pellucid animalculum, resembling the letter T, with a globule affixed to the base. It is in motion and at rest every moment alternately; in the former case, it resembles the letter V; in the latter, the letter T. They are found plentifully in spring water.

66. VIBRIO ACUS. V. linearis, colli, apice obtuso, cauda setacea. Linear vibrio, with a neck, the upper extremity obtuse, the lower one terminating in a setaceous tail.

This vibrio is of the shape of a sewing needle; the neck round, partly transparent, and marked in the middle with a red point; the trunk cylindrical, the edges obscure, the middle bright, and nearly of a triangular appearance, the tail resembling a fine bristle. A motion may be observed in the inside of this little creature. It does not bend the body when in motion.

67. VIBRIO SAGITTA. V. sublinearis, colli, apice truncato atro, cauda setacea. Somewhat linear in its appearance, a well-marked neck, the apex truncated and open, the tail setaceous.

The body is very long and flexible, broadest towards the middle, which is also filled with grey molecules; the fore-part is drawn out into a straight transparent neck, the upper end of it thick and black. The motion of this animalculum seems to be produced by the contraction and extension of the neck. It is found in salt water.

68. VIBRIO GORDIUS. V. æqualis, caudæ apice tuberculato. Vibrio of an equal size throughout, the tail terminated by a little tubercle.

A round animalculum; the fore-part for about one-sixth of the whole length is transparent, and furnished with a sky-coloured alimentary tube; the lower part is bright and pointed, the middle full of small globules; a small knob terminates the tail. Found in an infusion made with salt water.

69. VIBRIO SERPENTULUS. V. æqualis utrinque subacuminatus. This vibrio is of an equal size, rather pointed at both ends.

It is very similar to the vibrio anguillula, No. 71, differing principally in the shape of the ends, which in this are furnished with a long row of the most minute points. It does not adhere to objects by the pointed tail. The body is of a whitish colour, frequently convoluted, and drawn into different figures. Its motion is serpentine, sometimes to be met with perfectly straight and still, and is found in infusions of vegetables after some weeks standing.

70. VIBRIO COLUBER. V. filiformis, seta caudali geneculata. Filiform vibrio, the tail setaceous, and bending up nearly to form a right angle with the body.

In this vibrio, the mouth, the oesophagus, the molecules in the intestines, and the twisting of them, are very conspicuous. The tail is exceeding small, and bent so as to form a considerable angle with the body. It is found in river water.

71. VIBRIO ANGUILLULA. V. æqualis, subrigidus. Vibrio of an equal size throughout, and somewhat hard.

This animalculum may be divided into four varieties, if not distinct species: namely, 1. Anguillula aceti. 2. Anguillula glutinis farinosi. 3. Anguillula aquæ dulcis; and 4. Anguillula aquæ marinæ. These varieties I shall first describe, together with the eels in blighted wheat, and then proceed with the rest of the vibrio.

1. ANGUILLULA ACETI, OR VINEGAR EEL.

Plate XI. Fig. 7.