Locomotion of Amœbæ and allied forms

Abstract

Few subjects are more fundamental or have been more assiduously studied than the movements of the Ameba.T h e earlier writers maintained that the explanation of these movements was to be found in the contractility of protoplasm.M. Schultz, Brucke, DeBary, Kiihne, Haeckel and others held this view.They did not fully analyze their theories, however, although Brucke did postulate a n internal contractile framework to account for the streaming of protoplasm.Early in the discussion, objections were raised to the contractile theory.Wallich ('63) called attention to the fact that the currents of protoplasm in Amcebze did not begin at the posterior end or in the interior but that they commenced at the point of advance and extended backward.Butschli, Hofmeister, Nageli and others made similar observations and on that account relinquished the contraction theory.All these observations were