272 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



see intermixed with these other bi-segmented bodies 

 less cylindrical in shape, and which, instead of being 

 perfectly rigid, have a flexible joint, so that the two 

 segments are freely movable. These bodies (about as 

 large as medium-sized, ordinary Bacteria) generally ex- 

 hibit the most active movements darting about from 

 place to place with rapid eel-like bendings of their body. 

 Other forms are not unfrequently met with in which 



Fio. 17. 



Some of the most common Primordial Forms of Life : Bacteria, 

 Torula, &c. X 800. 



the tendency to assume a bicellular shape is more 

 obvious though their bodies are similarly rigid, and 

 their movements are not more active than those ordi- 

 narily displayed by Bacteria. Whilst the common 

 Bacterium looks like a solid simple or bi-segmented rod, 

 these latter forms seem rather to be made up of two 

 juxtaposed, minute, cell-like elements, and in their 

 early stages present the appearance of m?re figure-of-8 



