38 THE PSYCHIC LIFE 



Euglenae might nourish themselves as animals do, 

 for they have a mouth and a digestive apparatus. 

 The buccal, or oral, aperture opens in the anterior end 

 at the base of the flagellum, and is connected with a 

 short gullet or esophagus (see fig. 6, the mouth and 

 gullet of an Euglena). Nevertheless, the Euglena is 

 never seen using its mouth for swallowing alimentary 

 particles. A quite curious problem is involved here. 

 If it is true, as has been claimed, that it is the function 

 that makes the organ, how do we explain the existence 

 and especially the genesis of this digestive apparatus 

 which performs no function? 



It is the presence of chromatophores that prevents 

 certain Flagellates from feeding like animals; so much 

 so in fact, that the digestive apparatus performs its 

 functions in Flagellates which have no chromato- 

 phores and are not provided with chlorophyl pigment, 

 an instance of which is seen in the Peranema. The 

 Peranema is, further, an exceedingly voracious animal. 

 We must note also that the Peranema does not exhibit 

 ocular spots like the green Euglena; and moreover, it 

 has no need of such, since it does not have to seek the 

 light to generate starch. All these phenomena are 

 interdependent. 



The influence exerted by light upon the green 

 organisms of both kingdoms has been ascertained 

 by different scientists. Light at a certain degree 

 of intensity attracts them, and at a greater de- 

 gree, repels them. Some years ago M. Strassburger 

 conducted a series of connected experiments upon the 

 movements of green spores towards light. It was ob- 

 served, here, that the grains of pigment in the in- 

 terior of the cellules, when under the influence of 



