The tree-vorticellas must ever stand first among all the varied and beautiful objects which the microscope reveals. A species common in New England and the Middle States is known scientifically by the name of Carchesium Polypinum. It is impossible to convey a true idea of its beauty from a dead black and white drawing. To be appreciated it must be seen in all its living glory—charming little animals resembling bell-shaped lilies on the ends of lovely transparent stems.
How curious nature is in the microscopic world! Only think of a tree of living animals! The stems of the tree are jointed, and the little creatures can sway the branches about and even throw them into a spiral coil so as to bring themselves near the main stem. This gives them the appearance of being very polite toward each other; they bow and courtesy as if preparing for a grand quadrille, and they are decked out in gay colors, red, green, and yellow. The margins of the little cups are fringed with hairs, or cilia, which they can put in such rapid motion that it makes a current in the water and brings little particles to their mouths which they consume as food. They do not accept everything that comes in the current. They seem to know what they like as well as the higher animals, and act as if they were vexed with some of the particles, rejecting and sending them off with a rapid whirling motion.
The largest of these fairy-like trees are visible to the naked eye, but it will be necessary for a novice in such matters to use a good strong lens to be able to find them readily. They are attached to plants growing in water. I have always been most successful in finding them among the water-milfoil (Myriophillum) several species of which grow in New England and the Middle States. Some of the species are found in deep water, others in shallow ponds.
The Bladderworts (Utricularia) are also good plants to search among. They grow in similar places. On either of these plants we shall be sure to find a good many interesting creatures. If we fail to find the tree, we may secure other species of vorticella, all of which are very beautiful.
Do you know the Utricularia? I will devote the next chapter to these curious plants, and to the microscopic animals which they capture.
It will take a little practice to learn where and how to collect material for the microscope. We should not depend too much upon books in any branch of natural history. To be successful, you must observe for yourselves, experiment and examine independently, consulting books that you may name and classify, that you may recognize and name what you find. If you fail to find specimens in one spot, try another.
You should not fill your collecting bottles more than two thirds full of water, nor crowd too many plants in them. These little creatures must have air in order to live, as well as the higher animals.
FIG. 2.
The finest tree-vorticellas I ever found were in Florida, in the St. John's River. These trees were attached to long, floating stems of Myriophillum verticillatum, and were unlike any species that I ever found at the North. They were very large—in a microscopic sense—plainly visible to the naked eye, and it took only a moderate power to bring out their beauty.