3 6 PROTOPLASM. 



General Characters of Germinal Matter. 



The characters of germinal matter may be studied in the 

 lowest organisms in existence, and in plants, as well as in 

 man and the higher animals. Germinal or living matter is 

 always transparent, colourless, and, as far as can be ascer- 

 tained by examination with the highest powers, perfectly 

 structureless, and it exhibits these same characters at every 

 period of existence. The germinal matter of the thallus of 

 the growing sugar fungus exists in considerable quantity, 

 and is well adapted for examination. The growing ex- 

 tremity of the branch is rounded, and here the process of 

 growth is going on with great activity. When the operation 

 of staining has been conducted successfully, these growing 

 extremities are more deeply stained than the rest of the 

 germinal matter. A similar fact is observed if one of the 



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placental tufts is submitted to examination. At the extreme 

 end of each tuft is a mass of germinal matter which is darkly 

 stained by the carmine fluid. Behind this, and growing 

 towards it, is the vascular loop ; but as the tufts grow, the 

 mass of formless, structureless germinal matter at the end of 

 each moves onwards, the vessels being developed in its 

 wake. This formless living matter moves forwards nd 

 burrows, as it were, into the nutrient pabulum, some of 

 which it takes up as it moves on. It is not pushed from 

 behind, but it moves forward of its own accord. In a 

 similar manner the advancing fungus bores its way into the 

 material upon which it feeds, and the root filament insinuates 

 itself into interstices between the particles of the soil. In 

 the hair, the germinal matter grows and multiplies at the 



