CHAPTER II 



LIFE IN ITS LOWER AND HIGHER FORMS 



IN order to approach larger problems with some re 

 gard to natural perspective, we must, at least, trace a 

 pathway through the midst of the lower orders of life. 

 We must even linger long enough by the way to 

 ascertain the results of recent research into the 

 general structure of organism, and into the hidden 

 movements essential to organic life. We must ascer 

 tain what the microscopist has witnessed during his 

 scrutiny of tissues, and of vital changes within these, 

 which are invisible to the naked eye. In this way there 

 will be secured at least a passing view of the common 

 characteristics of organic life, suggesting the unity of 

 organism in the scheme of existence. 



Inclusion of vegetable with animal life is required, 

 in order that living material may be contemplated in 

 all its aspects. A botanist, such as Nageli, has much 

 to tell bearing on Evolution, as well as such students 

 of animal biology as Darwin and Wallace. Professor 

 Burdon Sanderson, in marking out the range of in 

 quiry, has well said, we must begin with the element 

 ary endowments of living matter, or living material, 

 as the latter phrase may apply to a single muscle in 

 the body, or even to the microscopic hair of a plant. 

 We are here touching the beginnings of life-history 



