THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 483 



If, however, we find that such varied organisms as 

 those mentioned by Carter and Nicolet, and those which 

 I have previously described *, may be produced by trans- 

 formations of different portions of the same Nitella or 

 Chara substance, it may be less an occasion for surprise 

 when we ascertain that in other cases many similar 

 kinds of Ciliated Infusoria may proceed from what 

 appears to be a totally different sort of matrix namely, 

 from a mass of protoplasm which separates directly 

 from some animal or from some animal -product. 

 Ciliated Infusoria have, indeed, been frequently seen 

 by Dr. Gros to develop from individualized portions of 

 dying Rotifers or Tardigrades, as well as from portions 

 of the embryos of the common earth-worm 2 and of the 

 eggs of Rotifers, although the units of matter which 

 individualize themselves may, in the first instance, 

 take on the form either of an Amoeba, an Actinophrys, 

 a Peranema, or an Arcella. 



After the larger Rotifers have laid their eggs and 

 run through their ordinary term of existence, they do 



with food I have never seen and its existence to any notable extent 

 amongst these forms of life is somewhat rare. Mr. Carter very kindly 

 placed some additional facts concerning the structure of these organisms 

 at my disposal, which I regret that I am now unable to mention in detail. 

 He will, perhaps, enter upon them in some future communication. 



1 See pp. 401-406. 



2 We have already (p. 337, note i) alluded to some forms of Ciliated 

 Infusoria which have been found within the bodies of higher organisms, 

 and which very probably have been derived from the transformation of 

 some elemental portion of the higher organism. And again we may 

 ask, What is the mode of origin of the Leucophrys which habitually exists 

 within the perivisceral cavity of the earth-worm ? 



I 1 2 



