Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-03-21

lucy are lONO, pay Iul ldOS vi 'O-
ings, aud seem to live, and eat for en-
j ymsut; when frightened they play
dead, curing up heir legs, AMI re-
naming inactive for some time.
Another singular mite, and Of the
lowest order, burrows i'll the skin OF
dogs, and also in the diseased lollicles
OF the human face, and more especial
~ the nose of Il man.
See Flg.il. Fig. Il.
1t is Il long -665SIx
slender worm cA--- = I'M n zgss5ssdtG SSSS9
| TX e form, SES%
with eight short legs, though IKE
many other mites it has but six in the
laryal state. Washing the face i'll
water to which has been added one
teaspoonful CT strong aqua ammonia
to the quart will usually remove them.
WATER ANIMALCULEs
Perhaps no class Of objects that are
visible to us only through the micro
scope engage uur attention so often,
and amaze us so much, as the various
forms and peculiar habits Of the wafer
aninalcules.
For the first time it is an amazing
spectacle to view an asSemblage OF
! dissimilar forms in q drop OF otaguant
water. they are from one thousanth
to one ten thousanth of an inch i'll di-
ameter, ard | once saw them so crowd
ed that the spaces between them were
not much larger. Several hundred
forms have been studied and describ-
ed, but | shall only mention three OF
four of the more cOmmon snecies.
] Remember while pond OF river water
will contain now and then specimens,
that it is stagnant water alone that is
crowded, and the pure spring water
OF Vermont never contains any animal
life.
| The motions Of these creatures are
varied, | might say almost endless III
variety, but alnid their diversified gam
bols all have the power of avoiding
obstt clcs i'll their course, and then
neighbors, which are In such close
proximity, to them. Some species
are far IIUrG common than others, but
the more uncommon varieties May fire.
quentiy be found in midsummer, by
exposing detection of amy dried
leaves to the sun for three or foul
days; such exposure must be in Tie
open air. A few species l will de-
scribe.
The RotJer, or wheel-bcaring ami
malculeS, are SO termed from the ap-
pearance Of certain wheels, often seen
rapidly rotating, in various situations
on the anterior part Of The body neal
the mouth. We say wheels because
they were so considered by early mi
croscopc observers who could not ac-
count for the motion i'll any Other
way; but an Improvement in instru-
ments has shown that it is an inces-
SAINT muscular action, giving an APP
parent rot2ti0n; but that wheels
could revolve i'll any part Of an ami
mate body, would be quite inconsis-
tent with the laws Of animal organi-
cation. These wheel-shaped muscles
are used to aid in the motion of the
animalcule and in supplying It's food.
They are entirely subServlent ~ the
power of will, as they can stop the
motion instantly Or increase it as they
choose.
Their body, though 50 small, in
one species. is shielded by shell into
which this rotating apparatus cam be
drawn at will. 1t is by the whirlpool,
formed by the before described rota-
tiors, that its food is Grawn into its
mouth us vortex, where it is masti-
Gated by three tiny teeth, and swal-
lowed into prepared receptacle
where it is ground by muscles work
ing vigorously On each other. Minute
and curious as these organs are, the
animalcule is SO small that like all
microscopic creatures they are trans
parent, and with moderately high
magnifying power this can as well be
seen as the workings of steam en-
CINE made of glass.
ITO be continued.)