FUNGI. 283 



animal nature of Diatoms. " If there are beings," he 

 says, " which, when they attain their perfect develop- 

 ment, prove themselves to be decidedly vegetable, 

 although during the first portion of their existence 

 they presented some phenomena of animal nature, 

 this proves that those phenomena do not exclusively 

 belong to animals, and that we cannot draw from 

 them absolute characters of animal nature. The im- 

 perfection which we have already shown to be inherent 

 in every notion we can form of the animal or vegetable 

 kingdom, begins to diminish after such considerations, 

 and it is under this point of view that we undertake 

 the examination, carefully separating, in the characters 

 they present, those which they hold in common with 

 vegetables from those in common with animals, and 

 inquiring if they do not possess some exclusively with 

 one or the other which may decide the question." 



Undoubtedly, in so far as the Myxogastres are 

 concerned, it is admitted on all hands, that in their 

 perfect development they prove themselves to be 

 decidedly vegetable, although during the first portion 

 of their existence they presented some phenomena of 

 animal nature. The inference therefore is, that the 

 phenomena of the first stage do not belong exclusively 

 to [^animals, and by no means decides the animal 

 nature of the Myxogastres, which should be decided 

 on the faith of their ultimate development. 



Cell Multiplication. 



Figures are useless to convey any impression ot 

 the great rapidity and endless multiplication of 

 cells in fungi. Mr, Worthington Smith made some 



