INTRODUCTORY 11 



as the hunters and are seen to race about in all directions, 

 searching for more abundant nutriment. It is hard to 

 find a more perfect illustration of the influence exerted 

 by the condition of a medium upon the habits and cus- 

 toms of animals. The Patula is a type distinctively car- 

 nivorous and possessed of an extremely voracious appe- 

 tite, a fact which explains its power of multiplication, one 



of the greatest I have studied In constant 



pursuit of its prey, it seizes its victtim by the two stout 

 vibratile lips with which its mouth is armed and swallows 

 them alive and whole. The victims may be seen strug- 

 gling and tossing about for a time in the interior of its 

 body and afterwards to expire slowly under the action of 

 the digestive juices of the vacuole in which they have 

 been inclosed." 



Notice in this how precisely similar the actions of these 

 cells are to those of animals and human beings. They lie 

 around and do nothing towards finding food as long as 

 they have enough to eat, but lack of food and hunger 

 stirs them to activity. The actions of these cells con- 

 stantly in pursuit of their prey and the manner of eating 

 and digesting their victims are certainly significant. 

 They go to show that the animal or cell has the mind to 

 know what he wants and goes after it. It is impossible 

 to conceive of any living being moving towards an object 

 for a purpose which has not a will and memory. It never 

 can be shown to be a chemical or mechanical act. There 

 must be in the mind of the being the feeling or idea of a 

 need of food to spur him to action. Chemical force and 

 other natural forces always act the same and follow fixed 

 laws regardless of any condition or need. All scientists 

 agree that matter can only act and change its place and 

 form according to fixed laws. Living beings act accord- 

 ing to their wants and needs. They are masters and are 



