OF BIOPLASM IN BLOOD. 137 



fibrin. After a time the white blood-corpuscles also 

 die, and thus the coagulum of fibrin continues to in- 

 crease for a short time after coagulation has com- 

 menced. The diverticula from a white blood-cor- 

 puscle undergoing conversion into fibrin are repre- 

 sented in Plate XVII, fig. 60. The lines round the 

 red blood-corpuscles seen stretching from one to the 

 other in Fig. 55, represent the earliest stage in the 

 formation of fibrin, and the minute particles of bio- 

 plasm are seen actually undergoing change. The 

 bioplasm of the blood is derived from the bioplasm 

 originally found in the vessels of the germinal area 

 at a very early period of development, from the bio- 

 plasm of the capillary walls, which is very abundant 

 in some capillaries, and projects into the cavity, 

 Plate XVI, fig. 58, and from the lymph and chyle 

 bioplasm which is being continually poured into the 

 vascular system and mixed with the blood. 



If the clear transparent material which moves 

 round the cells of Vallisneria (Fig. 59, pi. XVII.) and 

 other plants be carefully examined under very high 

 powers magnifying upwards of 2,000 diameters, it will 

 be discovered that this is not a simple fluid like 

 water containing the nucleus and chlorophyl (Fig. 62). 

 But the apparent fluid has suspended in it an infinite 

 number of particles of living matter like those of 

 which the amoeba, white blood-corpuscle, and other 

 forms of living matter consist. With high powers the 

 slightly opalescent appearance may be detected, and 



