ANNUAL ADDRESS, MDCCCLXXI. 17 



energy and usefulness to the club, considered as an asso- 

 ciation specially instituted for the promotion of natural 

 history. 



Ladies and gentlemen, having read you a lecture on your 

 duties and obligations, I will now take up a question in 

 natural history which is of interest, and I trust will be found 

 so by you, notwithstanding the imperfections with which 

 it may be placed before you. I propose to make the sub- 

 ject of this address the purpose or role of minute organ- 

 isms during the past and present epochs of the globe. 



The minute organisms intended are those living creatures, 

 whether belonging to the animal or to the vegetable king- 

 dom, which are of more or less minute dimensions and 

 simple in organization. Among such organisms I reckon 

 protozoa, protophyta, phytozoa, and zoophytes. The in- 

 fluence exerted by these may be viewed in reference to 

 past and present ages, and both in respect to man and the 

 earth he inhabits. 



Time was, and not so very long since, when zoophytes, as 

 represented by polypes, sponges, and corals, were regarded 

 as the lowest examples of life and of vital organization ; 

 and it was debated ground as to whether the organisms 

 referred to those groups were of animal or of plant nature. 

 The discussion of this point led to a more accurate sepa- 

 ration and classification of such beings, and the result has 

 been to establish distinctly the peculiar features of animal 

 and of vegetable life in reference to them, and to exclude 

 certain forms from the animal kingdom, such as the coral- 

 lines, which had previously been located in it. 



But these, to our forefathers primitive and minutest forms 

 c 



