THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 459 



active and more thoroughly animalized. In this form 

 it takes food into its substance, assimilates it, and 

 undergoes a certain increase in size; till at last it 

 again becomes sluggish, assumes a spherical or ovoidal 

 form, and retracts its pseudopodicE one by one prepara- 

 tory to new transformations 1. 



At other times, according to Dr. Gros, a decolourized 

 and animalized Euglena may assume for a period the 

 form of a Peranema before becoming converted into an 

 Amiceba or an Actinophrys 2, and these latter forms, 

 when they have acquired a certain (though unknown) 

 stage of molecular elaboration, tend to become con- 

 verted into different forms of Ciliated Infusoria ^. 



1 1 . 'Direct Transformation into one or other of the Ciliated 

 Iffusoria. But at other times the transformation of 

 the Euglena takes place in a different manner, so 

 that, as Dr. Gros pointed out, it is enabled at once 

 to acquire the requisite molecular composition, and 

 pass to the form of a Vorticella or an Oxytricha — 

 without previously existing in either of the above- 

 mentioned intermediate and less specialized states. 

 Speaking of some Euglense which underwent this meta- 

 morphosis. Dr. Gros says : — ^ Quand elles se transforment 

 de toutes pieces ou apres la premiere parifissure elles 

 suivent une rhythme generale, que nous retrouvons 

 ailleurs sur un plus grande echelle. Elles prennent une 



1 See loc. cit., pp. 318, 335, and 336, 



^ See loc, cit., p. 336. 



3 See loc. cit, pp. 305, 314, 318, 335, 336, 435, 



