THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 461 



like bodies from ^Vo"" to TsW ^ n length (crystalline ?), 

 but no trace of living things, either amongst them or 

 suspended in the fluid itself. 



Experiment w. A solution containing an unweighed 

 quantity of ammonic carbonate and sodic phosphate in 

 distilled water. 



The fluid was at first somewhat whitish and clouded. 

 From the twentieth to the thirtieth day a thin pellicle 

 had been seen gradually accumulating on its surface; 

 and in the latter four or five days this increased much 

 in thickness, and gradually assumed a distinct mucoid 

 appearance. The fluid itself was tolerably clear, though 

 an apparent turbidity was given by the presence of a 

 fine whitish deposit on the sides of the glass. 



The flask was opened on the thirtieth day, and the 

 reaction of the fluid was then found to be neutral. 

 When submitted to microscopical examination portions 

 of the pellicle were seen to be made up of large, 

 irregular, and highly-refractive particles, imbedded in 

 a transparent jelly-like material. The particles were 

 most varied in size and shape, many of them being 

 variously branched and knobbed. Several very delicate 

 perfectly hyaline vesicles about ^W in diameter, 

 altogether free from solid contents, were seen ; and, in 

 addition, there were a number of figure-of-8 bodies, 

 exhibiting tolerably active vibrations, each half of 

 which was about a-cnroo" in diameter. 



A subsequent careful examination, on the same 

 evening, of a quantity of the granular matter of the 



