160 



LIFE S BEGINNING ON THE EARTH 



of the Amoeba is clearly distinguishable, by its glassy trans- 

 parent appearance, from the internal portion which is 

 granular. 



Watching the Amoeba for some time, we observe that 

 the streaming of its liquid content brings into the interior 



Fig. 62. The Successive Stages in the Division of an Amoeba 



This sketch relates to another type of amoebaj polypodia. It shows 

 how the amoeba gradually divides into two, the light spot indicating the 

 location of the contractile vacuole, the dark spot that of the nucleus. 

 The division begins with the nucleus. The remaining soft substance 

 divides into two after two separate nuclei have formed at opposite ends. 



cctl ain particles of an organic nature, which arc (he poten- 

 tial food for the animal. A process, pseudopodium, of the 

 Amoeba is pressed against such a particle of food, which 

 becomes sunk in its soft substance and gradually passes 



