38 PROTOPLASM. 



General Characters of Germinal Matter. The characters 

 of germinal matter may be studied in the lowest organisms 

 in existence, and in plants, as well as in man and the higher 

 animals. Germinal or living matter is always transparent, 

 colourless, and, as far as can be ascertained by examination 

 with the highest powers, perfectly structureless, and it exhibits 

 these same characters at every period of existence. 



The germinal matter of the thallus of the growing 

 sugar fungus exists in considerable quantity, and is well 

 adapted for examination. The growing extremity of the 

 branch is rounded, and here the process of growth is 

 going on with great activity. When the operation of 

 staining has been conducted successfully, these growing 

 extremities are more deeply stained than the rest of the 

 germinal matter. A similar fact is observed if one of the 

 placental tufts is submitted to examination. At the extreme 

 end of each tuft is a mass of germinal matter which is darkly 

 stained by the carmine fluid. Behind this, and growing 

 towards it, is the vascular loop ; but as the tufts grow, the 

 mass of formless, structureless germinal matter at the end of 

 each moves onwards, the vessels being developed in its 

 wake. This formless living matter moves forwards and 

 burrows, as it were, into the nutrient pabulum, some of 

 which it takes up as it moves on. It is not pushed from 

 behind, but it moves forward of its own accord. In a 

 similar manner the advancing fungus bores its way into the 

 material upon which it feeds, and the root filament insinuates 

 itself into interstices between the particles of the soil. In 

 the hair, the germinal matter grows and multiplies at the 

 base or bulb, pushing the firm and already formed tissue 



