288 Prof. H. Karsten on the Formation, 



Many of the globules enclosed within the sac, although con- 

 taining no starch, had somewhat stronger walls, not reticulate, 

 but uniformly thickened. The chlorophyll- and starch -corpuscles 

 enclosed within the third cell of the interior were present in 

 smaller quantity ; but, on the other hand, the mass of reddish- 

 brown vesicles and granular mucilage in the fourth of those cells 

 had increased, apparently at the cost of the secretory matters, 

 especially of the chlorophyll, of the next adjoining external cell; 

 this substance was in other instances entirely absorbed, and only 

 the starch, in reduced quantity, left. 



The red mass which occurs in the centre of the globule is 

 usually at first not distinguishable through the chlorophyll, and 

 probably is often altogether wanting, being only an accidental 

 constituent, as in fact the future development tends to prove. 

 Bary also describes the globules observed by hira as brown, and 

 as at length becoming of a dingy carmine-red colour. 



I am unable to offer any interpretation of the purpose of this 

 structure in plants. On account of the peculiar act of extrusion 

 from the mother cell by means of the little lid which is always 

 present, I am disposed to look upon the process as an indepen- 

 dent and normal act of development, which, however, I have not 

 been able to trace. On the other hand, I have noticed a very 

 remarkable abnormal phenomenon in certain globules, the fourth 

 internal cell of which was filled with red matter, which had more 

 or less completely supplanted its vegetable secretory material. 

 I have frequently seen such globules, whilst still enclosed within 

 the sac and fixed to the joint-cell of the (Edogonium, become 

 slightly distended outwards at a particular point on one side, 

 and an opening form at a corresponding point in the thickened 

 outer envelope of the globule, as well as in the closely adherent 

 membrane of the sac, to give a passage to the enclosed red mass. 

 The body which escaped through this aperture was smooth and 

 amoebiform, and forthwith assumed a spherical figure, enveloped 

 by a coloui-less somewhat granular coat, from which long ciliary 

 processes proceeded ; these were not stiff, but moveable and 

 capable of shortening or lengthening themselves. The globular 

 body, apparently making use of these moveable ciliary processes 

 as organs of adhesion, rolled slowly about in various directions. 

 Fig. 53 shows a body of this kind, magnified 700 diameters. 



In general, two or three such bodies emerged in succes- 

 sion from the opening in the globule, and I have often observed 

 them moving, in the manner above described, for hours after- 

 wards. The sac, with the thick adherent membrane of the 

 globule, either remained altogether empty, or some starch and 

 the second inner cell-membrane continued visible. The small 

 orifice through which the little amoeba-like beings had escaped 



