The Evolution of the Sciences 



it as follows. Within the homogeneous liquid 

 a small globule is suddenly seen to appear, 

 enclosing a thread-like net, similar to the 

 chromatic filament of living cells; soon the 

 globule grows into a sort of ring which 

 immediately alters its form, producing an angle, 

 to which the future crystal will be attached, 

 then a second angle appears, and between 

 the two, like a very thin line, appears the 

 axis of the crystal, which is gradually completed. 

 This elementary crystal is free to move in the 

 liquid. At the same time it can give birth to 

 other crystals in a word, it can reproduce 

 itself by the same processes met with in the 

 reproduction of living cells either by splitting 

 into two crystals which recede from each other, 

 rotating around themselves, or by forming on 

 one of its angles a new crystal which detaches 

 itself; this is gemmation. Or, finally, the new 

 individual, formed by endogeny inside the 

 crystalline mother-cell, reaches the surface and 

 dives into the food-supplying liquid, where it 

 grows, and in due course reproduces itself 

 according to the laws of heredity. 



Von Schron, Benedikt and other physio- 

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