Fuly 14, 1870] 
___ This supposition is, I think, unlikely to be the real explana- 
_ tion of the difference between the two sets of crystals. My 
reasons for so thinking will, however, appear more fully during 
the discussion of the other supposition. 
Second. It may be supposed, on the other hand, that the con- 
fervoid-looking fi/aments and the sfores are organisms which have 
ahaa ees OTS 
assumed their existing forms and dimensions by a process of 
growth and development within the crystal, and that the starting- 
point of each alike was a mere speck of Living Matter. 
By this supposition we give the panspermatists the full benefit 
of sur microscopical researches, and so narrow their real require- 
ments in the matter of pre-existing spores. It becomes a much 
simpler case for them, if instead of being compelled to cal- 
culate upon the pre-existenee of fully formed fungus-spores, 
and of confervoid-looking filaments, they need only presume 
upon the pre-existence of a mere speck of Living matter 
less than gyhpy”" in diameter. I most candidly confess, how- 
ever, that the pre-existence of such specks of living matter 
is all that is really necessary for them.” Most uf those who 
have worked much at the microscopic investigation of the 
organisms met with in organic infusions, must have come to the 
conclusion that there is no break in the continuity of that deve- 
lopmental series which commences with the mere speck of living 
matter—the primordial J/ozad—and thence proceeds through 
such forms as the Bacterium, the Vibrio, the Leptothrix fila+ 
ment, and the mycelial filament of a microscopic fungus. I do 
not mean to say that this is a necessary order of development, 
which invariably occurs—far from it, but rather that, as Bacteria 
commence their visible existence in the form of Monads, so 
Vibrios are but the developed representatives of certain Bacteria, 
just as the various kinds of Zeffothrix filaments grow from certain 
pre-existing /7érios, and just as certain of these Leptothrix fila- 
ments themselves may perchance become modified into larger 
segmented fungus-filaments, which, under favourable conditions, 
may fructify and produce spores, each of which is capable of 
developing into a plant like its parent in its latest phase of 
evolution, Originating, then, in the form of the minutest visible 
Living speck, we may find an organism passing more or less 
rapidly through the Bacterium and the Vibrio phase in order to 
grow into a Lef/othrix thread, which, in its turn, by further 
growth and development, may give rise to a microscopic fungus 
producing large and definite spores. These fungus-spores, under 
similar influences, are capable of developing at once into a 
mycelium similar to that from which they have been produced. 
They do not again go through the lower terms of the series, 
but are veritable spores, serving only immediately to reproduce 
a fungus. It is an undoubted fact, on the other hand, which 
although often stated, is not generally known or admitted, that 
Torula cells and other fungus-spores may also originate as 
minutest visible Living specks, which grow and develope at once 
into fungus-spores, instead of passing through the intermediate 
stages of Bacterium, Vibrio, Leptothrix, and fungus-mycelium. 
* Although this supposition is so far favourable to the views of the pans- 
rmatists, since it makes their real requirements so much more simple, still 
am afraid they will find it a most troublesome and unorthodox supposition, 
unless they are disposed at the same time to become out-and-out develop- 
mentalists. Their position would be a much more easy one than it is at 
present if they chose to maintain that such specks of living matter-—whatever 
their precise origin may have been—are practically mere specks of indiffe- 
rent living matter, having no inherent tendencies, but plastic to the full, and 
capable of growing into such forms as their environing conditions may deter- 
mine. (But having thus ‘‘ swallowed a camel,” why shouldthey “strain at 
agnat”? Why should they not also believe that the speck of indifferent living 
matter itself was formable by concurrence of necessary matter and condi- 
tions?) Unless the panspermatists were to adopt some such thorough- 
going developmental views as that which I have just indicated, they will 
gain comparatively little from the concessions which science compels us to 
smaketothem. They will better be able to reconcile their position with the 
comparative paucity of definite spores and germs which are actually detect- 
able in the atmosphere ; but they will find it as difficult as ever to account 
for the fact that the right spores or germs should always bein the right place 
at the right time. Very little short ofa belief that each cubic inch of air con- 
tains the germs of myriads of organisms which are known, or which may here- 
after be found under previously unknown sets of conditions, would be ade- 
quate to account for all the known and observable correspondences between 
the organisms found, and the precise nature of the fluids employed. And 
although the wildness and extreme improbability of this supposition must 
seem patent to all who have a knowledge of such subjects, strange to say, 
there are very many scientificmen who would rather harbour such a belief— 
who would even, in spite of all laws of evidence, think it more probable— 
than another supposition, which is, on the contrary, in thorough harmony 
with all the main principles of theirscientific creed. Thata “‘ vitalist ” should 
_ reject this other supposition I can understand; but that all those scientific 
men—and they are happily numerous—who have discarded the notion of a 
special ‘‘yital principle,” should still reject the notion that Living matter is 
capable of being evolved under suitable conditions and yet should accept 
this lg hypothesis seeing the nature of the evidence which is 
respectively adducible in favour of the two views—seems to me almost 
inexplicable, 
EE —_———————— 
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NATURE 
221 
There is, indeed, strong reason for believing that the spores 
and confervoid-looking filaments in question have not dropped 
as such from the atmosphere, but that they are, rather, organisms 
which have developed within the crystal. It is almost impos- 
sible not to be struck with the improbability of the former of 
these alternatives, on account of the number of such large spores 
and filaments which this supposition would require to have been 
present in the atmosphere over the pans containing the erystal- 
lising materials, as compared with the extremely limited number 
of such large organisms which have ever been obtainable when 
experimental observations have been made upon the nature of 
the solid particles existing in the air of all ordinary localities. * 
The best evidence, however, in proof of the view that they 
are products of a development which has taken place within the 
crystal would be, if it could be shown that in a given batch of 
recently prepared crystals no such organisms were to be found, 
whilst in many other crystals belonging to the same batch, 
after an interval of weeks or months, the spores and fila- 
ments were to be discovered. Sufficient time has not yet 
elapsed to enable me to speak definitely on this subject. This» 
much, however, I can say. Certain of the crystals of the 
batch prepared for me by Messrs. Hopkin and Williams, when 
examined two days after preparation, were found to contain 
scarcely a trace of air within. Now, however, after an interval 
of three weeks, through which they have been kept during the 
day-time at a temperature of about 80° Fahr., certain other of 
these crystals do, when dissolved, give exit to a notable quantity 
of air bubbles. This seems to indicate pretty clearly that a 
change of some kind has been taking place in the material of 
the crystal, which has led to the liberation of some of its con- 
stituents in a gaseous condition, and also, perhaps, to a libera- 
tion of some of its water of crystallisation, Whilst this has been 
taking place, its other elements may have been grouping them- 
selves anew. Although, at present, there is still no certain trace 
of the spores or filaments, I am strongly disposed to expect that 
such organisms will manifest themselves in the course of a few 
weeks more. 
[Two weeks after writing the above paragraph, and whilst 
these proofs were going through the press, on June 9 I examined 
three more specimens from the recent batch of crystals which 
had been set aside for observation. The quantity of gaseous 
bubbles which escaped from within the crystal seemed almost 
equal to those which had been met with within the older crystals, 
One or two small fragments of cotton also emerged, and in addi- 
tion several very small masses of a transparent mucoid material, 
containing refractive protein-looking granules of various sizes 
and shapes. These were almost precisely similar to masses 
which had been met with in the older crystal. Here and there 
an early stage, or short portion, of a filament was seen amongst 
the granules, though none of these were sufficiently long to make 
me certain as to their nature and affinities, Although nothing 
else was found, the occurrence of the very small masses of 
mucoid material seemed to represent a stage in advance of what 
was met with at the last examination. One of these small 
mucoid masses I saw within an elongated cavity (near the surface 
of a half dissolved crystal), two-thirds of which was occupied by 
a large bubble of gas. Whilst the crystal was still under the 
microscope, I saw the bubble and the small mucoid mass emerge 
from the cavity. ] 
Assuming, then, the view which seems most probable, that the 
spores and filaments have grown within the crystal—that they are 
the developed representatives of certain specks of Living matter— 
two views may still be taken as to the origin of such Living 
specks, Tither (1) these are some of the pre-existing ‘‘ germs” 
of the panspermatists which have become mechanically enclosed 
within the crystal, or (2) these Living specks have been therein 
evolved by virtue of certain changes and re-arrangements which 
have taken place amongst the non-living constituents of the 
crystalline matter. 
Of these two alternative views I am, after reflection on the 
following censiderations and evidence, strongly inclined to 
believe that the latter is most probably the true one :— 
(a.) It must be remembered that however strange and un- 
likely a situation the interior of a crystal may appear for the 
evolution of organisms, there is the strongest reason for believing 
that cavities are formed within crystals of tartrate of ammonia,+ 
* In all my investigations I have never met with spores similar to these ex- 
cept in one or other of the ammoniacal solutions. _ 
+ The gases which appear in bubbles increase in quantity with the age 
of the crystal, and these gases have been seen to be lodged in cavities 
within the crystal. These cavities are, perhaps, more especially liable to 
