2 26 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



granular appearance seemed to become more and more 

 marked as the corpuscles became larger., and the nucleus 

 also became more and more distinct, though only ap- 

 pearing as a space free from granules. The corpuscles 

 which were about -^-Q-Q" in diameter, as well as all those 

 that were of smaller size, presented none of these charac- 

 ters. They were., in fact., not cells but plastides solid 

 homogeneous bits of protoplasm, exhibiting very slow 



FIG. 1 6. 



Showing the different stages in the development of white blood 

 corpuscles, as seen in blood from a case of Leucocythsemia. All 

 gradational sizes to be seen from a mere homogeneous speck of 

 protoplasm -^L_" in diameter up to that of a corpuscle of the 

 ordinary size. Those under -^oW' m diameter are homogeneous 

 bits of protoplasm, showing only a very few granules and no 

 nucleus or distinct bounding wall. x 600. 



amoeboid variations in shape l . There was no break 

 whatever in the continuity of the series ; all gradations 

 in size could be and were measured, from the mere 

 plastide particle To * 00 " in diameter, up to the fully 

 developed corpuscle ; and until the size above indicated 



1 The amoeboid movements of the white corpuscles, however, are not 

 generally very marked in blood taken from Leucocythasmic patients. 

 They have often seemed to be much less obvious than usual a large 

 number of the corpuscles remaining for a long time more or less 

 spherical. 



