274 CELL INTELLIGENCE THE CAUSE OF EVOLUTION 



handed on at each division applies to the linin even more 

 forcibly than to the chromatin. The mode of division in 

 the chromosomes seems to insure that half of every in- 

 dividual portion, of every individual chromosome, will 

 be handed on throughout the succeeding generation ot 

 cells, for the division of the chromosome does not appear 

 to be merely a nonselective division of the bulk of sub- 

 stances forming it." 



In regard to the same point Wilson makes the follow- 

 ing remarks : "The splitting of the chromosomes is there- 

 fore in Boveries' words, 'an independent vital manifesta- 

 tion, an act of reproduction on the part of the chromo- 

 somes, an independent reproductive act of the chromatin. 

 The construction of the nucleus and in particular the 

 breaking up of the chromosome after division into small 

 granules, and their uniform distribution through the nu- 

 clear cavity, is in the first place for the purpose of allow- 

 ing a uniform growth to take place and in the second 

 place after the granules have grown to their normal size, 

 to admit of their precisely equal quantitative and qualita- 

 tive division.' These observations certainly lend strong 

 support to the view that the chromatin is to be regarded 

 as a morphological aggregate as a congerie or colony 

 of self propagating elementary organisms capable of as- 

 similation and growth and division. 



"Summary in conclusion All cells arise by division 

 from preexisting cells, cell body from cell body, nucleus 

 from nucleus, plastids from plastids, and centrosomes 

 from centrosomes. The law of genetic continuity thus 

 applies not merely to the cell considered as a whole, but 

 also to some of its structural constituents." 



On this point there seems to be no question or disagree- 

 ment. The following by Mr. Wilson is also interesting, 

 showing his view of how the cell, by equal division, is 



