These then fuse together, in small numbers, to form 

 Plasmodia, such as the first stage, and thus complete the 

 cycle. The life-histories of many of the Myxomycetes 

 exhibit series of stages very closely resembling those just 

 enumerated, and therefore it is probable that Protomyxa 

 and the Myxomycetes possessed a common ancestor, or that 

 the Myxomycetes diverged from the main stem at the top 

 of the Monera, and close to where Protomyxa is placed. 

 This is a very important spot, as it is the place where the 

 series of plants diverged from the series of animals. 



In the table, the plants are seen extending outwards 

 to the right, opposite Protomyxa, while the animals 

 extend upwards and occupy the rest of the table. The 

 long line with short lateral branches which represents 

 the series of Myxomycetes, is shewn as horizontal, not 

 because there is no upward evolution in the organisms 

 it indicates, but simply in order to emphasise its diver- 

 gence from the main stem of the lower animals. The 

 Myxomycetes lead to the various groups of Protophyta, or 

 lower plants, from which the detailed classification of the 

 Metaphyta might be continued onwards to the right. In 

 making a phylogenetic table of plants alone, it would be 

 better to show the series of Myxomycetes and the main axis 

 of the Protophyta more in a straight line with the Monera ; 

 and in a scheme embracing all organisms the main stems of 

 the plants and the animals should be made to diverge at 

 nearly equal angles from the common ancestor, close to 

 Protomyxa. 



The rest of the lower animals, from Protojnyxa up to the 

 first dotted line running across the table, are the Protozoa, 

 and may be considered as comprising four great groups, which 

 diverge from the main stem, two of them, the Infusoria and 

 the Gregarinida, near to Protomyxa, and the other two, the 

 Foraminifera and the Radiolaria, near to Amoeba, further up. 



