208 MOVEMENTS OF BIOPLASM. 



moment of time. I have seen an entire corpuscle move 

 onwards in one definite direction for a distance equal to its 

 own length or more. Protrusions would occur principally 

 at one end, and the general mass would gradually follow. 

 Again, protrusions would take place in the same direction, 

 and slowly the remainder of the corpuscle would be dragged 

 onwards, until the whole had removed from the place it 

 originally occupied, and had advanced onwards for a short 

 distance in the mucus in which it was embedded. From 

 the primary protrusions secondary smaller protrusions often 

 extend themselves. Some of these gradually become pear- 

 shaped, remaining attached only by a narrow filament, and 

 in a few seconds perhaps again become absorbed into the 

 general mass. From time to time, however, some of the 

 small pear-shaped portions are detached from the parent 

 mass, and become little spherical independent masses of 

 bioplasm, which grow until they become ordinary mucus 

 corpuscles. (PI. Ill, fig. 2.) Are these phenomena, I 

 would ask, at all like any known to occur in any kind of 

 material that is not alive ? 



The component particles of the bioplasm evidently alter 

 their positions in a most remarkable manner. One particle 

 really moves in advance of another, or round another. A por- 

 tion may move into or round another portion. A bulging may 

 occur at one point of the circumference, or at ten or twenty 

 different points at the same moment. The moving power 

 resides in every particle of the very transparent, invariably 

 colourless, and structureless material, for by the very highest 

 powers only an indication of minute spherical particles jean 

 be discerned. Because molecules have been seen in some 

 of the masses of moving bioplasm, the motion has been 



