92 WHAT IS LIFE 



called chlamydomonas, whose chlorophyll, or green 

 colouring substance, it sucks. Cienkowski says 

 that the behaviour of this lowly organism in hunt- 

 ing after and obtaining its favourite nourishment 

 is so remarkable that one is led to believe that one 

 sees the operations of conscious life in it. 



It is possible that some might argue that the 

 attraction between these minute organisms and 

 their food was entirely of a chemical character, 

 but if so the argument must clearly be extended 

 to all classes of living things and their food, and 

 that would lead us on to conclusions, when we 

 consider our own habits in respect to food, which 

 few would be found to accept. 



Amongst the foraminifera, however, we can 

 find instances which cannot be accounted for in 

 this way. 



These also are unicellular and microscopic and 

 have the habit of encasing themselves in tiny shells, 

 perforated by one or more holes whence their 

 name through which are protruded the pseudo- 

 podia or protoplasmic processes by which they take 

 hold of their prey or move about. 



Tiny as they are, their bodies make up vast rocks, 

 for most of the chalk consists of their remains and 

 much of the oolite which forms a great band across 

 England in the district of the Cotswolds is also con- 

 structed from the remains of these little creatures. 



