BY MOLECULAR COALESCENCE. 145 
so far as is possible, considering their difference in size. 
Thirdly, the same property possessed by all, of imbibing 
water and swelling out to several times their original di- 
mensions. And, fourthly, their identity in structure and 
appearance with those which, after having become arranged 
in lines, form the first portions of the radiating fibres of 
which the future lens is to be composed. (See fig. 10, in 
which some of these forms are represented after having 
been acted upon by water.) The free particles of different 
sizes above noticed, are not, however, shown in this figure. 
Now, considering the appearances presented by these par- 
ticles, and weighing all these circumstances together, it 
is impossible to question the identity of the larger de- 
tached globules with those which have become stationary, 
and are beginning to take the lmear arrangement; and 
therefore only one point remains to be determined, and 
that is, whether the larger of the intermediate sizes of the 
globular particles assumed that size at the instant of their 
coming into existence, or whether they are the result of 
the coalescence of pre-existing minuter forms of the same 
composition ; that is, of smaller globular albuminous par- 
ticles similar to those which are still present with them. 
As the kind of evidence necessary to decide the question 
is not in this case of the same demonstrative character as 
that which was adduced in answer to a similar question 
respecting the coalescence of small particles of carbonate 
of lime to form larger ones (see page 12), its decision 
must, in some degree, depend upon the relative value of 
the evidence adducible on each side. Now, on the side of 
coalescence there is—First, the fact before referred to, 
showing that there is such a process as coalescence even of 
the particles of hard substances. Secondly, that the 
effects of this same process admit of demonstration in the 
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