Notes and Comments. 387 
-on the most charitable interpretation, to the realm of poetry, 
as defined by the greatest of poets, rather than of science. 
“The lunatic, the lover and the poet 
Are of imagination all compact ; 
And as imagination bodies forth 
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen 
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothings 
A local habitation and a name.”’’ 
PROTOCYTE, CYTODE, MICROCOCCUS AND BIOCOCCUS. 
‘Tf I might be permitted to attempt an impartial criticism 
of my own scheme, I think it might be claimed that the various 
forms and types of organisms in my evolutionary series, 
namely, the simple cell or proctocyte, the cytode or pseudo- 
moneral stage, the micrococcus, even the biococcus, are 
founded on concrete evidence and can be regarded as types 
actually existent in the present or past. On the other hand 
the vdle assigned by me to each type in the pageant of evolution 
is naturally open to dispute. For example, I agree with those 
who derive the Bacteria as primitive, truly non-cellular organ- 
isms, directly from the biococcus through an ancestral form, and 
not at all with those who would regard the Bacteria as de- 
generate or highly-specialised cells. But the crux of my 
scheme is the homology postulated between the biococcus and 
the chromatinic particle—chromidiosome or chromiole—of 
true cells. In support of this view, of which I am not the 
originator, I have set forth the reasons which have convinced 
me that the extraordinary powers and activities exhibited by 
the chromatin in ordinary cells are such as can only be explained 
on the hypothesis that the ultimate chromatinic units are to be 
regarded as independent living things, as much so as the cells 
composing the bodies of multicellular organisms ; and, so far 
as I am concerned, I must leave the matter to the judgment 
of my fellow-biologists.’ 
SIR F. W. DYSON’S ADDRESS. 
In his addresses to the Mathematical and Physical Science 
Section, Sir F. W. Dyson dealt with ‘ The Construction of the 
Heavens.’ After a very clear statement of recent researches, 
he stated that it must be admitted that we are as yet very 
ignorant of the more distant parts of the ‘island universe.’ 
For example, we can make little more than guesses at the dis- 
tance of the Milky Way, or say what part is nearest to us, what 
are its movements, and so on. But nevertheless, the whole 
subject of the Construction of the Heavens has been opened 
up in a remarkable manner in the last few years. The methods 
now employed seem competent to produce a tolerably good 
model showing the co-ordinates and velocities of the stars 
1915 Oct. 1. 
