THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 519 



corpuscles — although the sharp limitation of the trans- 

 formative change was now even more remarkable. It 

 extended outwards for a certain distance only, so that 

 those portions of the Euglenas which came within the 

 radius of the future ' egg ' were decolourized and con- 

 verted into a sort of fawn-coloured substance, whilst 

 outlying portions of the same Euglenx — of whatsoever 

 size they might chance to be — still continued green and 

 healthy-looking^ On one occasion I saw two large ^eggs' 



^ The first of these bodies was observed on January 5, 1872, and is 

 now in my possession as a microscopical specimen. At that time, and 

 whilst I was still quite unaware of its nature, the following rough entry 

 was made concerning it in my note-book: — ' A large, brownish, egg-like 

 body, spherical and ^r^-^" in diameter, imbedded in the midst of Euglense 

 and of a brownish granular matter. These circumferential Euglenae 

 blended into the egg-like body, so that several were seen, one-half of 

 which was colourless and the other still green ! On focussing through, 

 it [the egg- like mass] seemed to have the appearance of being made up 

 of a dense aggregation of decolourized Euglense containing colourless 

 granules. Although this brownish and somewhat refraclive mass was 

 perfectly spherical, it was evident tliat no cyst-wall existed.' And then 

 my impressions concerning the mass were thus stated : — ' Metamorphic 

 influences seemed to extend for a certain distance all roimd from a 

 centre — so that, as above stated, the circumferential portion of the mass 

 was composed (apparently) of Euglenae which were partly decolourized, 

 whilst those parts beyond the radius of the sphere were still coloured 

 green.' Again, on February 20th, after I had become aware of the 

 developmental destiny of such a body — from having observed all the 

 stages undergone by many specimens — one of them was found actually in 

 process of formation, concerning which the following notes were made: — 

 * Light portion measuring y^" ; surrounding Euglense obviously meta- 

 morphosing, and fusing with central granular mass.' The situation of 

 the body was carefully marked, and the portion of pellicle of which it 

 formed part was transferred to a watch-glass. When examined again 

 lafter twenty-four hours, my notes say : — ' It had become a distinctly 



