THE BEGINNINGS OF LIfE. 215 



Algae or Fungi that is to say, they result from the seg- 

 mentation of a mass of homogeneous protoplasm 1 . The 

 steps of this process we will now describe. 



An infusion of hay was made with water at a tem- 

 perature of i20-J30F, and maintained at this heat 

 for three hours. After filtration, about five ounces of 

 the fluid were poured into a wide-mouthed bottle, and 

 placed under a small bell-jar. When the fluid was 

 examined at the expiration of three days, it was found 

 to be quite turbid, and covered by a moderately thick 

 pellicle. On removing portions of this pellicle and sub- 

 mitting it to microscopical examination, the fluid around 

 was found to contain multitudes of very active speci- 

 mens of Monas lens, having an average length of -g^Vo"? 

 whilst the pellicle itself was mostly composed of medium- 

 sized Bacteria, though there were a few areas of different 

 dimensions in which the units had more the appear- 

 ance of embryo Torulte*. But, contrasting with the 

 very pale fawn colour of the evenly granular pellicle, 

 there were numerous refractive, and more or less 

 homogeneous areas of a whitish colour. These areas 



1 In both cases, also, it happens that the products of segmentation are 

 sometimes motionless and sometimes active units. We have already 

 (p. 211) spoken of these differences as they are met with amongst deriva- 

 tives of the pellicle. And on the other hand, as we have previously stated 

 (vol. i. p. 182), the products of the subdivision of the encysted Proto- 

 myxa, or of the terminal dissepiments of Achyla, are actively moving 

 bodies ; whilst in the closely allied Saprolegnia, in Pezizce, and in other 

 Fungi, the products of segmentation are perfectly motionless spores. 



2 Such as are represented in Fig. 48, a. 



