aiO Scientific Intelligence, — Zoology. 



ceed immediately to observe, the translucent and colourless sub- 

 stance of red agates ; vegetables which are more particularly 

 designated by the names oi Protococcus nivalis^ Prolococcus Icer^ 

 mesinus^ A^ardh, and Hccmatococcus^ &c. These small vege- 

 tables, though larger by a half than the globules of the blood, 

 still have with them a great analogy as it regards their orga- 

 nization, and probably also their chemical composition. A 

 transparent and colourless vesicle (or perhaps two, the one 

 included in the other) perfectly spherical, and filled with red 

 and reproducing globules, forms the whole of the organization 

 of these small vesicular vegetables, which, with some other 

 analogous ones, mark the first efforts of organization, and seem 

 to be nothing more than first attempts, or the representatives 

 of the elementary or constituent organs of the cellular masses 

 of more complex vegetables and animals. When the minute 

 internal globules of these small vegetables begin to increase 

 within the maternal vesicle, to become reproductive seminules, 

 they cause the vesicle to assume very much the mammillated 

 aspect of a strawberry. According to this mode of development, 

 is it not probable that those blood-globules of animals which, 

 on account of their shape, are called strawberry globules, are 

 also produced by the increase of a certain number of- the red 

 globules which they contain ? All my microscopic researches 

 compel me not only to admit this analogy, but likewise to think 

 that the red globula of the globules of the blood are the semi- 

 nules of those organized bodies which are destined to replace, 

 and sometimes to multiply, the old globules of the blood, as 

 they become extinct and cease to live, as individuals, in the 

 midst of the serum which serves as their habitation, and in 

 which they procure their nourishment. 



14. Cause of the Red Colour of Agates, — The red colour of 

 agates is owing to a number, greater or smaller, of Protococcus 

 hermesinus accumulated together, or more frequently reduced to 

 their small red globules (seminules) agglomerated or coagulated, 

 and distributed, according to certain circumstances, in the co- 

 lourless structure of these siliceous compounds. Since we have 

 now been considering, analogically, those innumerable Proto- 

 coccus kermesinus, and the red globules they contain, I beg 

 leave to add, that microscopic and comparative investigations 



