Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-06
Chr Da iln 5pp.
MONDAY. NrARCH 8. Is54.

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WONDERS OF THE M1cRoscoPE.--We copy
| from the Boston 1rareHer the following sketch
of a lecture delivered in Boston on the 9th
| ut, introductory to serious OF lectures ON
the Compound Microscope.
The object Of these lectures is to show the
usefulness Of the instrument and to present
microscopic views Of various structures in Boz
tanv, Anatomy, and the infinite variety, hues
and grotesque forms OF Auimalcule The
lectures are illustrated by Diagrams (painted
by the lecturer, on canyassl representing more
than 1900 figures Of size to be readily seen
/ across the lccture-room. The lecturer propose
| ed presenting these three departments of sci
ence in an entire new and novel form, earnest
desiring to interest the young. as web as 9TH
ers, in cultivatihg a love Of the beautiful by
| studying the works Of the Creator. The first
lecture was devoted to the classification, de-
scription, habits and fosslremains of animal
| cul9. This department Of Natural History,
through the efforts of eminent Naturalsts in
America and Europe, is reduced to as perfect
system, as are the higher animals yet the
costly volumes of European Naturallsts, not
vet translated, are beyond hereach of large
portion Of the community. Grew, Adams and
Gray, Brockelsby, Pritchard, Mantell, DR.,
Ehrenberg and Agassiz have devoted years of
untiring industry to this and other depart
| ments of microscopic investigations. Their
works have been carefully consulted in repre-
sentng forms of Infusoria. The figures are
all drawn from nature, and present TO the eye
| of the beholdor forms as they appear under
! the highest powers Of the Compound Micros-
cope, some Of which are 1iagnifed Ga million
times, Microscopic observation is most pleas
| ingmethod of studying nature. II shows that
the air, earth, and sea, TEEN with countless
myriads Of Intusora, the forms Of which are as
unknown to the great mass Of mankind as are
the inhabitants. .8 aA aaHa
These minute beings are as subject to the
| laws Of animal existence, have their sphere OF
| enjoyment as distinctly as have the huge mon
sters Of the deep. They swim, frolic, gambol,
cut all manner Of antics. speeding their way
| through the water with as much buoyancy of
! spirit as larger animals. They deyour each 9th
/ rby regiments as readily as do contending ar
| mics, and ask no questions for conscience sake.
/ They abound every where i'll the shining
| fount, the ripping brook. and calm waters of
the lake, often coloring the element in which
| they live, tnging it with a blood-red hue, or
! vivid green, or perhaps an orange color
| Their home is the broad river, far from the
| shore upon the tropic, the polar, and inland
! seas the ocean and vast lakes, for leagues,
| swarm with their eongregated myriads and as
the bark Of the mariner nightly cuts the wave,
| the dazzling track it leaves upon the waters
and the fiery spray that flashes from its bows,
| tel Of the presence of life enshrined within an
| inhnity Of atoms. Two thousand feet below
the surface, the sea-lead CLEANS mud contain
| ing animalcul1s. The atmosphere has seeds
of minute plants, eggs Of infusora, SC, raised
! by evaporation and borne about by the gentle
breeze to the loftiest mountain tops and down
to the lowest dells and caverns, ready to burst
| into existence whenever circumstances are
propitious.
When at times phosphorescent, the whole
surface Of the ocean displays diifused lumin-
osity, like that Of the lnilky-way in cold
night. The path Of the ship is marked by a
brilliant line Of glowing light. A feather
dipped in the ocean brine brings out upon its
tlaments living animalcule, shining like the
glow-worm.
Two kinds Of coverings enshrine these crea-
lures. The soft and yielding leech-Ike skin,
expanding and contracting at will, and well
adapted to its mode Of life, instantly folded up
cloak like, or thrown out to the wave and
breeze to wait it to its destined rest, is one
kind. Another is a transparent and beautiful
shell, brittle, or flexible, or horn-like. And
hence their division into loricated (shelled, J
fabricated (shelless.] These creatures assume
fantastic shapes and perhaps have given Or
igin to the poets faneied water sprites, gnomes,
slfns, ghouls, maids and sylphs
"Ride where you may, ride where you WILL
! The Fountain Fay can meet you still.
Animalcules are shaped like shield, cylin-
! der, are spherical, quadrangular, globular.
and also resemble trumpets, coins, stars, boats,
cells and serpents; while others appear like
cups, necklaces, fans, wheels, TASKS, pitchers,
tunnels and fruits; and 500 millions of some
species, live in asingle drop Of water, emo
nads.)
In a fossil state, these shells form enormous
tracts Of marls lime, fints and chalk Cliffs
These fossils exist in such profusion as to form
mountains, extending in broad deep layers be-
meath the earth's surface, adding more to the
''mass Of materials which compose the exte-
rior crust of the earth than the bone of ele.
phants hippopotami and whales" The chain
of mountains 800 feet high at Suggsville, in
this country, is made up Of fossil Nunlnulites
The chalk formation of Bayonne and of the
Pyrenees, and the vast limestone range at the
head Of the Adriatic Gulf are made up of the
same species. The Paris Basin, France $50
miles in length and 80 broad, is composed Of
stratas of sand, mari, and limestone, full Of
foraminiffirous and infusorial forms of num-
mules N o sues hnd ssalYs-
They enter largely into the building mate
rails of Fariss Of the Egyptian Pyramids, and
the sand-grains of the great Sahara Desert
Facts Ike these interest every inquiring mind
Guided by the physical structure, Naturaists
have classed animalcules under two great di-
visions, viz Polygastrica (nany -stomachs)
and Rotatoria Cwhole- animals.) These are
subdivided into species, families genuses &c.,
amounting to more than 500. Some have
bands, coronets, and ella others have appar-
ent revolving wheels, stiff bristles, hooks,
claws and horns. The Polygastrica have but
one eye; Rotatoria have two usually, and
sometimes seven or eight on each side, arrang-
ed at one time side by side, at another in tri-
angles, circles and clusters. Monads the two
thousandth part Of an inch in length, are gift
ted with beautiful eye Of crimson hue, as
faithfully mirroring the scenes of its own little
world as does the human eye. The methods
reproduction Of infusorie, three in number,
are curious and wonderful: First by eggs.
secondly, yiviparous, thirdly, budding from
I the parent, fourthly by self division. Two or
more Of these methods may occur at the same
time in one species. DIR. Gutenberg kept a
Rotatoria is days in a vessel of water. 1t laid
four eggs day and at two DAYS old the Young
laid the same number. At this ratio, one
million were laid in ten days, four millions in
eleven days, and sixteen million in sixteen
days. 1t has been affirmed by naturalists,
that the Gallionella, or box chain animalcule,
increased in twenty-four hours, to 140 mil
lions. These creature exert beneficial infiu-
ence in the economy of nature, in a great va
riety of ways. m
ASEcnoTE OF THE LATE JUDAH TouRo.--
The following anecdote, related Of our lament