THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



287 



cal and translucent particles of a tolerably definite size ; 

 and then, amongst the materials filtered from the atmo- 



FIG. 66. 

 Fungus with minute Spores, found in a Closed Flask. (Pouchet.) 



a. Mycelial filaments, magnified. b. Unmagnified tuft. 



c. Spore-case, more highly magnified. 



sphere similar little spherical particles exist, also de- 

 void of specific characters: ergo^ it is argued, these 

 are the very bodies required, these are in fact organ- 

 ized germs ! So far, the observations and reasonings of 

 M. Pasteur have no other cogency than this, however 

 much he may seem to have verified his assumption by 

 other experiments. The danger of mistaking simi- 

 larity for identity, when dealing with such general 



