A DROP OF WATER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 30 March 1926, Page 8

A DROP OF WATER.

MANY FORMS OF LIFE

TWO FEGUGIAIi PIiWVHJfiJiLJS. Ll a drop ol ■water with its teeming tile could be enormously enlarged, it would make a fascinating aquarium. There are hundreds of forms of life in a sphere of water the size ol a buckshot, some of which are much more strange than the known forms of sea life. A study has been made of a drop of water taken from a pond in Lhe New York Zoological Gardens. To the naked eye the drop appeared transparent, but when it was spread upon a slide and laid beneath a power, lid microscope, a grotesque creature with startling habits became 'visible. It was iirst observed that two pinwheels, apparently of great comparative size, were revolving rapidly in opposite directions. According to the Zoological Society .bulletin, the revolution of the wheels served to whirl the. water about, producing currents which spread in all directions. The wheel s were part ol an oddlyformed triangular body with the power of swinging rapidly from side to side, and arching its body. 'the curious animal seemed to eyes, Jor in moving about it invariably avoided colliding with other forms oi life within the boundaries of the tiny drop. It also had the power of making itself transparent, anil, in turn, opaque. The body would be stretched out until its head would attach itself to some object, seemingly with a iirin grip. Later it would extend itself, and the feet would grasp some convenient object, when the head would let go its hold Throughout these manoeuvres the two pinwheels continued to turn in opposite directions at what appeared to be a high raLe of speed.