INTELLIGENCE OF THE CELL 237 



"In the case of the euglenae, the chromatophores are 

 formed of small discoid plates ; they are situated directly 

 under the cuticle, so that the light can act upon them. 



"In certain species of flagellata, they are exhibited un- 

 der the cuticle in the form of two large plates which en- 

 velop the protoplasm like a cuirass formed of two pieces." 



We have to admit that we do not know yet by what 

 process of alchemy the crude material of earth, air and 

 water are combined or transformed into starch, but we see 

 that it takes place. Only to those cells that depend on 

 that method of making a living is the secret known, and 

 the secret is passed along as the common knowledge from 

 generation to generation. 



In late years there have been some discoveries in refer- 

 ence to the chemical effect of sunlight on different kinds of 

 matter. The heat or electric energy in sunlight is evi- 

 dently used by the cell to start a certain molecular activ- 

 ity in matter which molecular activity the cell is able to 

 direct to form the different chemical compounds wanted. 

 This photo chemistry, as it is sometimes called, is be- 

 lieved by some now to be an electric energy. I read the 

 following interesting article in regard to it some time ago, 

 in the Scientific American : 



"The subject of Photo Chemistry is one about which 

 comparatively little is known ; while the application to 

 ordinary photography is well understood, the theory that 

 leads to the chemical action of light is far from being per- 

 fectly comprehended. The chemical action of sunlight, 

 such as that shown in the bleaching process and blue 

 printing has been known for a long time. Recent investi- 

 gations have taught us that numerous compounds are 

 sensitive to light, and convinced us that we are dealing 

 with a mutual action between ether vibrations and chem- 

 ical force, but it takes place only in special cases, as light 



