304 CELL INTELLIGENCE THE CAUSE OF EVOLUTION 



Consider again the actions while mating of the cell 

 living a single life, and those of the germ cells pursuing 

 the female cells. Mr. Binet states that "the movements 

 they execute admit of exact comparison with the actions 

 attendant upon copulation among higher animals," and 

 then illustrates their maneuvering in the following lan- 

 guage : 



"Upon the approach of the period for propagation, the 

 paramecia come in from all points of the fluid and assem- 

 ble like little whitish clouds in more or less numerous 

 groups about the objects that float upon the surface of 

 the water or adhere to the sides of the vessel, containing 

 the tiny artificial sea in which the animalcula are held 

 captive. Intense excitement, which the need of food does 

 not suffice to explain, prevails in each of these groups ; a 

 higher instinct appears to dominate all these tiny organ- 

 isms. They seek each other's company, chase each other 

 about, feel here and there with their cilia, adhere for a 

 moment or so in an attitude of sexual coition and then 

 retire, soon to begin anew. When these minute assem- 

 blages are dispersed by shaking the liquid, they quickly 

 form again at other points. These singular antics where- 

 with animalcula appear to incite each other mutually to 

 copulation often continue for several days before the 

 latter act is definitely affected." 



All these actions of the cells that we have now been 

 considering, whether single cells or social cells, like those 

 who build animals and plants, are in general identical 

 with those of the higher animals, including man, who we 

 all agree are intelligent beings. 



Before closing this chapter we shall examine a few 

 cases which will illustrate more fully the fact that like 

 does not always produce like as is generally understood, 

 but that the cell will put up such structures as will be re- 



