. Animal and vegetable physiology considered with reference to natural theology. Natural theology; Physiology; Plant physiology; Biology. 172 THE MECHANICAL FUNCTIONS. these are muscular organs, and that they are tlie real agents by which the motions witnessed are effected. These Rotatoria, or wheel animalcules, are so named from their being provided with an apparatus for creating a perpetual eddy, or circular current, in the surrounding fluid. The re- markable organs, by which this effect is produced, are generally two in number, as seen in the Brachi- onus urceolaris, (Fig. 80, r, r), and ar
. Animal and vegetable physiology considered with reference to natural theology. Natural theology; Physiology; Plant physiology; Biology. 172 THE MECHANICAL FUNCTIONS. these are muscular organs, and that they are tlie real agents by which the motions witnessed are effected. These Rotatoria, or wheel animalcules, are so named from their being provided with an apparatus for creating a perpetual eddy, or circular current, in the surrounding fluid. The re- markable organs, by which this effect is produced, are generally two in number, as seen in the Brachi- onus urceolaris, (Fig. 80, r, r), and are situated on the head, but do not surround the opening of the mouth, as is the case with the tentacula of polypes. They consist of circular disks, the margins of which are fringed with rows of cilia, bearing a great resem- blance to a crown wheel, which, on the principle already explained, (p. 116), appears to be inces- santly revolving, and generally in one constant direction; giving to the fluid a rotatory impulse, which carries it round in a continual vortex. Insignificant as the infusoria may appear, when we attend only to the diminutive size of the indi- viduals, yet their number is so inconceivably great, (far surpassing, indeed, that of all other organized beings,) as in some measure to compensate for this minuteness, and to constitute them objects worthy of regard as occupying an important part in the economy of nature, and even as exerting a sensible influence on the changes which have taken place in our globe. Such, indeed, is the conclusion to which we are irresistibly led by the remarkable discovery, recently made by Ehrenberg, that large. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Roget, Peter Mark, 1779-1869. London : W. Pickering
Size: 1198px × 2087px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury18, booksubjectnaturaltheology, booksubjectphysiology
