THE ANIMAL A MACHINE 



171 



problem as we have here? Must we not admit to Amoeba the power of 

 grasping a situation and intelligently adapting means to end or overcome 

 difficulties — qualities which we are accustomed to consider as characteristic 

 of minds in a high degree of development? 



It will be well in this case, as in others, to test inorganic fluids before 

 deciding what is to be thought of this matter. Suppose we present a similar 

 problem to our chloroform drop; how will it meet the situation? 



Fig. 68. Coiling Up of a Thread of Shellac by a Drop of Chloroform 



under Water 



This diagram shows that the chloroform drop rivals the Amoeba. (Mag- 

 nified 5 times.) 



We may try the experiment as before, with a drop of chloroform at the 

 bottom of a watch-glass of water. As the chloroform drop accepts hard 

 shellac, we may present it with a bit of shellac drawn out into a long, fine 

 thread, of length many times the diameter of the chloroform drop (Fig. 68). 



The chloroform envelops the filament in some portion of its length, 

 just as Amoeba did. Then it stretches out in both directions along the 

 thread, exactly as was done by Amoeba. This is most striking when a drop 



