30 THE PSYCHIC LIFE 



cerned, we have already mentioned that a large num- 

 ber of the algae zoospores exhibit, in the anterior part 

 of their body, ocular spots of a beautiful ruby color: 

 these are organs that probably have the same struc- 

 ture as the red spots of the Euglena?. Moreover, it 

 is probable that certain Microphytes possess more 

 complex visual organs, composed of red pigment and 

 of a crystalline humor. M. Balbiani has recently 

 testified to this fact in the case of the Pandorina mo- 

 rum, a spherical colony of green micro-organisms; in 

 each colony there exists a certain number of individ- 

 uals which possess a red spot, the shape of which is 

 perfectly circular; if this spot be examined under a 

 glass of very high magnifying power, one can readily 

 see that it is formed of a small spherical globule, cov- 

 ered, on a portion of its surface, by a cap of red 

 matter. This observation is all the more interesting 

 because it is made on a being, the vegetable nature of 

 which is to-day no longer doubted; the Pandorina are 

 Volvocinae which modern botanists place among the 

 algae. (We are glad to give our readers the earliest 

 communication concerning this fact.) 



In describing the eye of the Protista, we said that 

 the eye is the only organ of sense which is distinctly 

 differentiated in these lower beings. But, perhaps, 

 this assertion is too sweeping. Some species appear 

 armed with small organs which could easily be in- 

 vested with a sensory function. In this respect, we 

 may cite the Loxodes rostrum, a beautiful ciliated in- 

 fusory, remarkable for its proboscis and for the mus- 

 cular sheath which closes its mouth. This animal 

 exhibits along the dorsal surface a row of small organs 

 which, by their structure, seem destined to act a part 

 in performing the function of hearing. They are 



