546 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



Of these five ultimate methods, two or more are 

 often associated in giving origin to a single new indi- 

 vidual, though at times one alone may be instrumental. 

 They are all more or less closely related to one another, 

 and are immediately dependent upon the fundamental 

 properties of living matter. Some of the processes are, 

 moreover, quite similar to those which go on in not-living 

 matter. Elements combine, acids and bases combine ; 

 and similarly, colloidal molecules may unite and undergo 

 rearrangements, so as to give origin to units of living 

 matter (Archebiosis). Again, as we have previously 

 pointed out, Biocrasis is but a further stage of the 

 process which occurs in Archebiosis; whilst Bioparadosis 

 (or secondary evolution) is also most closely allied to 

 the same process. The occurrence of Biocaenosis is 

 dependent upon the inherent complexity and mobility 

 of the ultimate molecules of living matter; whilst, in 

 their actual nature, such processes are strictly comparable 

 with the phenomena of allotropism and isomerism as 

 they occur amongst not-living elements and compounds. 

 Biodi^resis (or discontinuous growth) is essentially de- 

 pendent upon a higher manifestation of the same 

 property — constituting as it does one of the most 

 distinctive characteristics of living matter. 



The simple individuals which arise by any of these 

 various methods may, when their discontinuous growth' 

 is rapid — owing to the occurrence of processes of fission 

 or gemmation— give rise to many small and separate 

 individuals. Whilst others, when they do not undergo 



