THE BIOLOGY OF DAILY LIFE. 27 



We have already, in Chapter I., slightly alluded to 

 the part which microscopic members of the organic 

 kingdoms play in maintaining the Law of Interchange. 

 Every decomposing particle of vegetable or animal 

 structure is seized upon by these ubiquitous scavengers. 



To bury the dead is regarded as a corporal work of 

 mercy ; Nature makes ample provision for the perform- 

 ance of this merciful work. As it is literally true that 

 ie in the midst of Life we are in Death," we cannot 

 properly attend to the processes of Life without 

 studying Nature's Burial Service. At first sight one 

 might suppose there was no burial service, or one per- 

 formed sans ceremonie, like Hood's pauper's funeral ; 

 but a closer view will force us to change our opinion. 

 Our undertakers and gravediggers have, we hope, 

 their moments of relaxation, but Nature's army of 

 undertakers know no other trade, have no other 

 occupation, they attend continually to this one thing. 

 They are invisible to the natural eyes, but with the 

 aid of the microscope we can at least see their wands of 

 office. Like other conductors, their leading characteristic 

 is the baton, or we may compare them to the official 

 messengers of the House of Lords, and call them 

 Ushers of the Black Rod. Nothing can be more certain 

 than that Dame Nature spares not the rod in her schoo], 

 though she never wishes to hurt with it, only to usher. 



It is by the '* rod" and the " staff" or more learnedly 

 the BACILLUS and the BACTERIUM, that she ushers outlier 

 finished productions from one kingdom into the next. 

 I mean from the animal into the mineral kingdom, and 

 so on; for the mineral is the landing-stage of all 

 organic life. I mean as regard material particles. 



Let me describe them first in popular language. 



