. Studies in animal life . Zoology; Nature study. STUDIES IN ANIMAL LIFE. 15 us as a text from which profitable lessons may be drawn. We snip out a portion of its digestive tube, which, from its emptiness, seems to promise little; but a drop of the liquid we find in it is placed on a glass slide, covered with a small piece of very thin glass, and brought under the microscope. Now look. There are several things which might occu- py your attention, but dis- regard them now to watch that animalcule which you observe swimming about. What is it ? It is one of the largest of the Infusoria, and is na
. Studies in animal life . Zoology; Nature study. STUDIES IN ANIMAL LIFE. 15 us as a text from which profitable lessons may be drawn. We snip out a portion of its digestive tube, which, from its emptiness, seems to promise little; but a drop of the liquid we find in it is placed on a glass slide, covered with a small piece of very thin glass, and brought under the microscope. Now look. There are several things which might occu- py your attention, but dis- regard them now to watch that animalcule which you observe swimming about. What is it ? It is one of the largest of the Infusoria, and is named Opalina. When I call this an Infusorium I am using the language of text-books; but there seems to be a growing belief among zoologists that the Opalina. Fig. 1 Opalina Ranaeum. A, front view; B, side view—mag- nified. is not an Infusorium, but the infantile condition of some worm {Distoma ?). However, it will not grow into a mature worm as long as it inhabits the frog; it waits till some pike or bird has devoured the frog, and then, in the stomach of its new captor, it will develop into its mature form—then, and not till then. This surprises you. And well it may; but thereby hangs a tale, which to unfold—^for the present, however, it must be postponed, because the Opalina itself needs all our 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 Lewes, George Henry, 1817-1878. New York : Harper
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