194 



THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



large particles gradually disappeared until nothing but 



FIG. 10. 

 Reproduction of Protomyxa. (Haeckel.) 



a. Protomyxa aurantiaca encysted ; a homogeneous ball of protoplasm, 



surrounded by a structureless, gelatinous covering, x 300. 



b. The same in later stage of development. The plasma ball completely 



divided into small globular bodies, x 300. 



c. Cyst ruptured, showing exit of active spores, having long tail-like 



prolongations. After a time these become stationary ; they retract 

 their tails, and protrude instead a number of pointed irregular 

 processes. In this condition, they are true amoeboid creatures, 

 still without vacuoles or nucleus in their homogeneous body 

 substance. 



a few fine granules were left scattered through the 

 otherwise perfectly homogeneous protoplasm mass. 

 Then, in the course of a day or two, and after it had 

 retracted somewhat from the hyaline capsular wall, 

 traces of segmentation revealed themselves in this 



