. In brook and bayou; or, Life in the still waters . SWANS NECK.{Trachelocerca olor.) The Traclielocerca olor is like a paramoeciumwith an extensile neck which can be protrudedten or twelve times the length of the body orcan be entirely withdrawn into it. You willwonder how so much neck can be containedin so little body. 70 IN BROOK AND BAYOU. The trachelocerca is called the swans neck,because the curvings of its long throat suggestthose of the swans. But sometimes it dou-bles its neck around in a manner to suggestthe writhing of a serpent rather than thegrace of a swan ; and w^hen you see it
. In brook and bayou; or, Life in the still waters . SWANS NECK.{Trachelocerca olor.) The Traclielocerca olor is like a paramoeciumwith an extensile neck which can be protrudedten or twelve times the length of the body orcan be entirely withdrawn into it. You willwonder how so much neck can be containedin so little body. 70 IN BROOK AND BAYOU. The trachelocerca is called the swans neck,because the curvings of its long throat suggestthose of the swans. But sometimes it dou-bles its neck around in a manner to suggestthe writhing of a serpent rather than thegrace of a swan ; and w^hen you see it dartingits head about in the water with a motion. <s!m^^T\j\j—~— s Fig. 22.—Trachelocerca. like that of a fowl picking up food, seeminglytrying to tie its throat into a knot^ you arelikely to say to it You little goose/ instead of You lovely swan. Sometimes the neck seems to be a proboscisto seize food ; sometimes a spy searching outthe land and saying, Where does my waylie ? Sometimes it seems to be a general in-formation bureau, gathering facts about the CILIATA. 71 outlying country; or perhaps a bodyguard,looking before, behind, and around in all direc-tions for any foe who may be lurking other times it is a pilot standing at his postand steering true to the line, as the trachelo-cerca steadily follows its course in a clear sea. The trachelocerca is colorless, has one pul-sating vacuole, and its nucleus is so finelydivided as to look like powder scatteredthrough the body. It can be detected onlyby using aniline; the nucleus always remain-ing uncolored. Previous to reproduction thispowder-like nucleus gathers into
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidinbroo, booksubjectzoology
