Mar. 1901.]. BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBUKGH 65 



necessity of drawing such a distinction is emphasised 

 for a clear comprehension of the vital phenomena of 

 ontogeny. 



Just as the life of the biomore is the result of the life 

 of its biomolecules, so that of the bioplasm is the result of 

 that of its biomores. As the fundamental phenomena of 

 life — assimilation and reproduction — are purely chemical 

 phenomena, and therefore dependent only on the chemical 

 structure of the biomolecules, it follows that the morpho- 

 logical structure of the protoplasm is of secondary 

 importance. 



All the morphological conceptions of protoplasm are 

 compatible with this theory. The bioplasm is composed 

 of biomores synonymous with the granula of Altmann. 

 These granula may be aggregated into threads (Flemniing's 

 thread theory), the threads into nets (reticular theory of 

 Frommann), and the interrelation between the reticula and 

 interbiomoric fluid gives alveolar structure (Butschli). 



From observations, and on theoretical grounds, he 

 regards the biomores that constitute the bioplasma as not 

 all of the same chemical nature. 



The interbiomoric fluid — cytolinin of Waldeyer, inter- 

 filary substance (Flemming), hycdoplasvia (Leydig), enchylema 

 (Carnoy) — is composed essentially of water (not Nageli's 

 water of constitution, but rather of adhesion or capillarity), 

 containing, in solution, nutritive substances, and some of 

 the secreta of the biomores. As these last increase in 

 amount it may acquire a viscous consistency, and have the 

 characters of albuminoid substance. At this stage it 

 would be the equivalent of the trophoplasma of authors, 

 while the ensemble of biomores would represent the 

 kinoplasm. 



The fluid serves as the medium of nutritive exchange, 

 in its absence desiccation ensues and assimilation ceases. 

 The absence of water produces no change in the living 

 substance proper — the biomores and biomolecules, — other- 

 wise death would ensue. The exchange recommences as 

 soon as it is supplied, and, with it, the manifestation of 

 life. We have interesting illustrations of this in the 

 behaviour of such organisms as the rotifera, tardigrada, 

 bacteria, etc., in relation to desiccation. 



TRAXS. EOT. SOC. EDIN. VOL. XXII. E 



