THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 399 



themselves during the transformation of other ma- 

 trices. 



Meanwhile, I will pass to a description of somewhat 

 analogous metamorphoses which have been frequently 

 observed to take place within the closed internodes of 

 Nitella. 



A few filaments of Nitella translucent were kept in a 

 small glass vessel^ containing about a quarter of a pint 

 of water from the pond in which the plant had been 

 found *. It was protected from dust, and kept upon the 

 mantelpiece of my study during the months of Sep- 

 tember to February inclusive ; and the changes which 

 were from time to time observed within these filaments 

 were of the most interesting nature. The plant lite- 

 rally c died by inches' internode after internode and 

 the changes which took place within them were found 

 to vary considerably according to the temperature, 

 the brightness of the weather, and other undiscovered 

 influences 2 . The initial changes were, however, very 

 similar in all cases, although they progressed at 

 different rates. 



When an internode just beginning to grow pale was 

 examined, phenomena very similar to those described 

 by Mr. Carter might be observed. The protoplasm and 

 chlorophyll vesicles were seen to have aggregated into 

 masses of various sizes, from -nW' to ^" in diameter. 



1 It had been sent to me from Falmouth by Mr. Howard Fox. 



2 It also grew by inches, since new internodes were constantly 

 sprouting out as the old ones died. 



