PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 127 



receive the doubtful forms. Ernst Hackel, of Jena, proposes 

 to form such a group with the name Protista. In it he 

 inckides the following: — 1. Moneres. 2. Protoplasta. 3. 

 Diatomea. 4. Magellata. 5. Myxomycetes. 6. Noctilucfe. 

 7. Rhizopoda. 8. Spongiadae. Professor Huxley spoke 

 most highly of Hackel's recent work on the 'General Mor- 

 phology of the Organism,' but he could not agree entirely 

 with this grouping of the lower animals and plants. Proto- 

 plasta, Noctilucse, Rhizopoda and Spongiadae, he considers 

 are certainly animals. Diatomea he regards as plants on 

 account of their mode of nutrition and reproduction. Flagel- 

 lata {Volvox Euglena, &c.) have only their lashing cilia in 

 common with animals : the Myxomycetes (fungoid growths 

 occurring on old tan and trees) are more doubtful. Anton de 

 Barry's researches have shown that they have an amoeba 

 stage, in which they take solid nutriment ; but their mode of 

 reproduction (by spores) places them among plants. Professor 

 Huxley would admit the Moneres alone as intermediate 

 ground : one of these beings, Protogenes, described by 

 Hackel, is the simplest bit of living matter possible. It is 

 clear and jelly-like, witiiout any nucleus or contractile vesicle, 

 and actively spreads its pseudopodia over the minute particles 

 it feeds on. Its existence proves the absence of any mys- 

 terious power in "nuclei," and shows that life is a property 

 of the molecules of living matter, and that organization is 

 the result of life, not life the result of organization. By using 

 such a group as Protista we only double our difficulty, for we 

 have to define it as well as plants and animals. All our classi- 

 fications are very transitory, and are almost matters of sub- 

 jective inclination. The important thing is the facts. You 

 may have three sorts of classification : 1st, Logical, which is 

 very useful and desirable, but is artificial ; it consists in mark- 

 ing ofi' groups by sharp differentiation. 2nd, Gradational, one 

 in which more attention is paid to resemblance than difi'erence, 

 and in which the gradation of forms is exhibited. 3rd, Genetic, 

 which is the only one that can be final ; in such a classifica- 

 tion the relations of the various forms of life in their origin 

 and descent would be exhibited. Professor Hulxey adopts 

 the following grouping of Invertebrate animals : 



A. Protozoa. 

 1, Monerozoa; 2, Protoplasta; 3, Radiolaria; 4, Spongiadse. 

 B. Infusoria. 

 c. Annuloida. c. Coelenterata. 



D. Annulata. n. MoUuscoida. 



E. Arthropoda. e. Mollusca. 



He thinks a gradation can be clearly pointed out from 



