314 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE, 



with moisture ^. The specimen may then be examined 

 from time to time with a xV objective; and in the 

 course of from twenty-four to seventy-two hours, ac- 

 cording to the temperature, such changes will have 

 occurred in many of the milk-globules (ranging from 

 TwW to 20V0'' ii^ diameter) that they may be seen 

 to have assumed a less refractive and more distinctly 

 vesicular appearance, and to be giving birth to one, 

 two, or even three buds, from their periphery, which 

 speedily grow into large dissepimented mycelial fila- 

 ments 2. All this was definitely described by M. Turpin. 

 In speaking of the milk-globules, he said : ^ Lorsqu'ils 

 se trouvent livres a eux-memes et places dans les cir- 

 constances favorable a la continuite de leur existence, 

 ne tardent pas a se gonfler, a prendre souvent la cir- 

 forme irreguliere d'un petit topinambour microscopique, 

 et a germer par plusieurs cotes a-la-fois, de la meme 

 maniere que germent les seminules vesiculeuses des 

 Confervees; des Mucedinees des Champignons, et des 

 vesicules polliniques/ Or, as I have also been able to 

 ascertain, other globules, ^ au lieu de commencer par 

 prendre un developpement irregulier deviennent ovoides, 

 puis allonges comme de petits bouts de cylindre, et dans 

 ces divers etats, ou plutot sous ces formes modifiees, 



^ In a small wide-mouthed, stoppered bottle, for instance, lying on its 

 side, and containing a little water. 



'^ Other globules become fused together so as to form large irregular 

 masses of various kinds. Multitudes of Bacteria also appear amongst 

 the globules. 



