ny Noe tino | Papers on Spontaneous Generation. 269 
But we do not know that vitality is destroyed, or that particles 
developing the phenomena called life can never again as those par- 
ticles “revive” after having been subjected to a temperature of 
153°C., for Pouchet says “animaleules and fungi will develop 
themselves after 200° C. has been applied ;” we must therefore “be 
content to remain in philosophic doubt” for a while longer on the 
question. 
One postulate, it seems to me, must be ceded to Dr. Bastian— 
that all crystals have ultimate or atomic “germs.” What else is 
the bearing of the atomic theory of Dalton? It presupposes a 
“unit,” and a definite value to that “unit ;” otherwise how could 
we have form? how could an aggregate of amorphous molecules 
result in a definitely-formed and perpetually-recurrent nature ? 
The dissepimented pellicle of hay, as shown by Dr. Bastian in 
Fig. 1, it has not been my good fortune to see, but proligerous 
pellicles of Vibrions, of Bacteria, and even of Monads, I have often 
seen, and made drawings of. 
But the dissepiments figured by Dr. Bastian cannot be primor- 
dial forms, since they contain within themselves the Monads which 
we believe to be pre-existent. 
The transmutation from small circular transparent cells to 
Ameeba I have often observed (see M. M. J., Aug., 1869, Art. VIL., 
p- 104, Obs. June 12). 
I am of opinion that the higher powers will show us an 
amoeboid condition of the ultimate Monads themselves. I have 
also watched the growth of Monas to Uvella, Parameecium, Kolpoda, 
&c. (see M. M. J., Aug., 1869, Art. VIT., and Jan. 7, 1870, Art. V.). 
The minute dots in Fig. 3 a of Dr. Bastian’s paper, June 30, 1870 
(and two of the forms in h) seem Monads in a state of bilateral 
segmentation. Fig. 4¢ I have not seen, but am quite prepared to 
expect such a diagram from what I have witnessed in the bursting 
of Pseudo-gonidia (see M. M. J., Aug., 1869, last six lines p. 99, and 
first four, p. 100) and of Parameecia (p. 103, ibid., Obs. May 11th). 
Aug. 13, 1870.—Saw a Paramcecium burst in a sufficient quan- 
tity of water to avoid the suspicion of bursting from drying of the 
liquid, and discharge itself in granular streams of globular masses ; 
the sarcode remaining shrivelled up, and having the appearance 
presented by some proligerous pellicle. 
In p. 28, Art. V., Jan., 1870, M. M. J., I have referred to a 
discharge of Euglena similar to the Fig. 5 (p. 174, ‘ Nature, 
June 30, 1870) of Dr. Bastian. Thus far my observation on 
growth of organisms agrees in the main with that recorded by 
Dr. Bastian, and refers to the growth from within the primordial 
utricle, which is essential to the argument of the Panspermatists. 
In order to trace as it were the life history of one of Dr. Bastian’s 
de novo organisms, we find that in p. 219 he says, “The solution 
