CATAGENESIS. 221 



which are filled with minute cyst-like masses of proto- 

 plasm, or spores. As already stated, these spores 

 give issue to flagellula. 



We have in the life of the Mycetozoa, if not the 

 actual origin of the vegetable from the animal king- 

 dom, a case closely similar to it in a collateral phylum. 

 The process is one of degeneracy through the assump- 

 tion of a sessile life, or earth-parasitism ; an example of 

 akinetogenesis. The paleontology of animals has ab- 

 solutely established the fact that the predecessors of 

 all characteristic or specialized types have been un- 

 specialized or generalized types, "neither one thing 

 nor another." It may then be regarded as almost cer- 

 tain that the ancestors of the present higher types of 

 plants were more animal-like than they; that the forms 

 displaying automatic movements were more numerous, 

 and the difficulty of deciding on the vegetable or ani- 

 mal nature of a living organism greater than it is now. 

 Hence it may be concluded that "animal" bathmism 

 has from time to time undergone retrograde meta- 

 morphosis producing as a result the permanent form 

 of life which we call vegetable. Given spontaneous 

 movement (i. e. growth) and surrounding conditions, 

 and the resultant product must be structures adapted 

 to their surroundings, just as the plastic clay is fitted 

 to its mould. And this is essentially the distinguishing 

 character of vegetable teleology as compared with ani- 

 mal. In the average plant we see adaptation to con- 

 ditions permitted by unconscious nutrition and repro- 

 duction ; in the animal, adaptation to a greater variety 

 of conditions, due to the presence of sensation or con- 

 sciousness. 



In closing Part I. of this book, I desire to point 

 out the conclusion which has, I think, been reached. 



