THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 69 



from coagulating blood represent morphological states 

 necessitated by its molecular affinities. 



Occasionally, too, when organic infusions are exposed 

 to conditions unfavourable for the formation of organ- 

 isms (more especially when their virtues have been, in 

 great part, exhausted by a previous abundant growth), 

 this kind of pseudo-crystallization occurs, and peculiar 



FIG. 43- 



Peculiar Forms assumed by Albuminoid Concretions from an old Hay 

 Infusion. ( X 800.) 



bodies are produced, which seem to grow after the 

 fashion of crystals into all kinds of odd shapes. A 

 great similarity of form, however, often obtains between 

 the concretions which occur in the same fluid. Such 

 aggregates are in fact in every way analogous to crys- 

 tals, and their differences of form are probably just as 

 referrible to differences of molecular composition 1 . 



It has been already pointed out that the products 

 obtainable from certain saline solutions differ according 



1 We may here draw the reader's attention to the different shapes 

 which are assumed by the granular particles entering into the composition 

 of the pellicles or deposits found after a time in certain saline solutions. 

 They were curiously branched and knobbed in Experiment w. 



