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But by the use of our new lenses, and special illumination we my colleague and I were enabled to demonstrate clearly a flagellum at each end of this least of living organisms, as you see, and by the rapid lashing of the fluid, alternately or together, with these flagella, the powerful, rapid, and graceful movements of this smallest known living thing are accomplished.
Embryo of a Squilla, magnified 45 diam. a. heart. The corresponding body-segments are already well developed, an unpaired eye is still present, the anterior antennae are already biramose, whilst the flagellum is wanting in the posterior, and the mandibles are destitute of palpi; the four anterior abdominal segments bear biramose natatory feet, without branchiae; the fifth abdominal segment has no appendages, and this is also the case with the tail, which still appears as a simple lamina, fringed on the hinder margin with numerous short teeth.
Then followed an amoeboid and uncertain form, with an increased intensity of action which lasted a few moments, when lassitude supervened, then perfect stillness of the body, which is now globular in form, while the flagellum feebly lashed, and then fell upon and fused with the substance of the sarcode. And the result is a solid, flattened, homogeneous ball of living jelly.
Now, if the presence or absence of the secondary flagellum possessed the significance of a distinctive generic character, which is usually ascribed to it, or if there were other important differences between Melita Fresnelii and the other species above-mentioned, which would make it seem natural to separate M. Fresnelii as a distinct genus, and to leave the others united with the rest of the species of Melita that is to say, in the sense of the Darwinian theory, if we assume that all the other Melitae possessed common ancestors, which were not at the same time the ancestors of M. Fresnelii this would stand in contradiction to the conclusion, derived from the structure of the clasp-forceps, that M. Fresnelii and the four other species above-mentioned possessed common ancestors, which were not also the ancestors of the remaining species of Melita.
At this speech Paul looked wistfully round the spruce parlour, and thought what a fine thing it would be to be lord of such a domain, together with the appliances of flageolet and cremona, boxing-gloves, books, fly-flanking flagellum, three guineas, with the little mountain of silver, and the reputation shared only with Lord Dunshunner of being the best whip in London.
"Where is he now, this enemy of our Tiberius that hath thus stirred up the populace?" "To the barracks of the Tower of Antonio they have taken him for the flagellum horrible." "And will they be long in laying open the flesh of his back?" "Nay, for twelve brawny armed and deaf to the cries of pity will lay on the scourge. Soon will he be brought again before Pilate."
The outer antennae exhibit a well-developed and sometimes distinctly articulated scale, and within this usually a spiniform process; the flagellum appears generally to be still wanting. The third pair of maxillipedes seems to be always present, at least in the form of considerable rudiments. The spatuliform caudal lamina bears from five to six pairs of setae on its hinder margin.
Rapidly the ends split, one-half being in each fiber set free, and the other remaining fixed, and in 130 seconds each entire flagellum was divided into a perfect pair. Now the amoeboid state is a notable phenomenon throughout the monads as precursive of striking change. It appears to subserve the purpose of the more facile acquisition and digestion of food at a crisis.
Almost! . . . Yet in the beginning the thought of Michael sustained her triumphantly. It was a curious sensation that first stroke of the flagellum. As Magda, unversed in physical suffering, felt the cords shock against her flesh, she was conscious of a strange uplifting of spirit.
It seemed to the poor man as if through his visor and the crosses upon his cassock, one would have penetrated into his bosom and read the most secret intentions of his heart; so wonderful is the power of conscience. It makes us betray, accuse, and fight against ourselves, and for want of other witnesses, to give evidence against ourselves: "Occultum quatiens animo tortore flagellum."
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