Heredity in Protozoa 



39 



Turning now to the facts, we know that when one of 

 these animals reproduces, it merely divides into two; the 

 parent simply transforms into two offspring. Are the two 

 just like the parent from which they came? When we 



Figure 10. Reproduction in Amoeba; successive stages. After F. E. 

 Schulze. 



examine the facts in amoeba (Figure 10), we can see no 

 reason why they should not be ; they merely are the parent, 

 but now in two parts ; the difference in size between the 

 formerly existing parent and its two progeny is quickly 

 remedied by a little growth. So at first view the problem 

 of heredity seems in these creatures absolutely simple; the 

 progeny ar,e the parents, merely divided; so they must be 

 like the parents. 



But if we don't stop at amoeba, but examine other Proto- 

 zoa also, we find that the matter is not so entirely simple 

 after all; indeed, we find that heredity presents the same 

 problems that it does in higher animals. Take for example 



