REPRODUCTION 



grow into complete parthenogenic forms 

 of that animal. But these results are only 

 in line with what was well known before, 

 that living matter, while living, can both 

 be affected by, and also itself give rise to 

 every kind of physical, chemical, and elec- 

 trical reactions, just as any other active 

 agent does. Loeb had to have living em- 

 bryos to experiment with, and all he did 

 was to affect their processes of develop- 

 ment by his solution of magnesium chlo- 

 ride. He could no more thus originate 

 these animals than he could make a new 

 egg. 



But what is demanded is how to account 

 by non-living agencies for the really essen- 

 tial elements in life. These, and not the 

 accompaniments of vital activities, are the 

 things to explain. 



Thus we may well ask what physical, 

 mechanical, chemical, electrical, or other 

 non-living agency comes anywhere near 



