Ts as eR a 
Mutual 
Miscellaneous Intelligence. 283 
nature there could be little doubt since the researches of Williamson 
and Busk, 
The possession of what were called eye-spots in doubtful organisms 
had been brought forward to decide the animality of these beings. Such 
eye-spots were present as red points in certain stages of the growth of 
Volvox, and other undoubtedly vegetable organisms, and according to 
Henfrey, were due to the relation of the contents of the cell to light, 
- — in no way the agents of vision in the cells in which they are 
ound. 
The definition of Aristotle, that animals possessed a mouth, whilst 
plants had none, had b i 
Soria, as the Diatomacea, Desmidea, and Volvocinea, it was more than 
ever applicable. There were, however, certain exceptions ; and these 
were found in the Foraminifera, the Diflugia, and other low organ- 
isms which had no permanent mouth. me of these have the power 
of formingsa temporary sac for the purposes of digestion. 
Chemistry had from time to time offered its aid to the naturalist. At 
one time, the possession of cellulose by the vegetable kingdom was con- 
<e 
ie) 
= 
5 
' t had, however, been recently detecte | 
Ascidian mollusca, by Thwaites in the Acaridz, and by Virchow in the 
brain and spleen of man. 
Another substance, chlorophyll, appeared at one time, to pronounce 
Presence of plants; but it had been found by Schulz in Hydra, 
Turbellaria, Vortex, Mesostomum, Stentor, Bursaria and other decid- 
edly animal organisms. pi 
Starch was another vegetable product, easily detected by iodine, 
Whose universal presence in the plant seemed to offer the best practical 
chemical test ; but Busk and other observers had recently detected 
'S substance in the brain of man, and there was reason to suppose 
that starch might be very generally present in the animal kingdom, _ 
It was thus seen that no one point in structure or chemical composi- 
“te of the zoospore, two contiguous cells meh and each contributed 
;S Contents to form the germinating spore. This process was observe 
by Ralf and others in Desmidec, cad subsequently by Thwaites in the 
Diatomacee, In addition to this point these families exhibit other rela- 
ons with the vegetable kingdom. : setae: 
. Whatever might be the difficulties presented in any individual case 
in the application of all or any of the before-mentioned distinctions, 
there was evidently a great antagonism or polarity exhibited by the an- 
imal and vegetable kingdoms when viewed asa whole. They Were 
ly dependent, attained the same ends in their growth and organi- 
by contrary means. The great function of the animal tis- 
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