THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 97 



modia and myxamoebse can take in solid food. The amoeboid forms 

 can also divide like ordinary amoebae, and so their animal character 

 at this stage, as well as from their mode of feeding, is pretty well 

 established. In these two physiological processes, viz., amoeboid 

 movement and power of absorbing solid food, such as bacteria, 

 they undoubtedly resemble animals, and if we only knew them 

 in these stages there would be little or no room for differences of 

 opinion. 



In the next place let us inquire wherein they resemble plants. 



Reproduction. — They are reproduced by means of spores 

 formed inside sporangia, and the walls of both are composed of 

 a substance like the cuticle of the vegetable cell, so that in one 

 of the most important features of their life, the propagation of 

 the species, they behave like plants. 



In the matter of nutrition they are animals, while in the 

 matter of reproduction they are plants, and it resolves itself 

 into a question of the relative importance of these two processes 

 in setthng their position as plants or animals. The reproductive 

 organs, on account of their relative constancy of character, hold 

 an important place in determining the position of organisms, and 

 the saying, " By their fruits ye shall know them," is generally 

 applicable to plants. If we apply the Scripture criterion to the 

 fructification of the slime-fungi, I think it will be generally 

 acknowledged that from this point of view they are undoubted 

 plants. 



Having settled that the most reasonable view to take of the 

 shme-fungi is to place them in the vegetable kingdom, the next 

 point is as to whether they are to be regarded as fungi or not. 

 If we agree with Hartig that " every fungus consists of a my- 

 celium and a sporophore," then, in the absence of mycelia, 

 assuredly these organisms are not fungi. But if we take the 

 other view and divide fungi into two classes, those with hyphae 

 and those without, then they might readily find a place there. 

 The conclusion of the whole matter is that we cannot definitely 

 assign a fixed place to them. They are exceptional forms, and 

 must be treated accordingly. They might be placed without any 

 dispute in Haeckel's division of the Protista; but, belonging 

 neither to the botanist nor zoologist, they might run some risk of 

 being neglected altogether. In one stage of their existence they 

 behave like animals, and may be accounted as such ; at another 

 stage they behave like plants, and since the reproductive process 

 is recognized as settling affinity for systematic purposes, the 

 benefit of the doubt may be given in favour of their retention by 

 the botanist. 



I consider that the ends of truth and science would be best 

 served by placing them on the boundary line, but purely as a , 

 matter of convenience it is desirable to assign them to one or 

 other of the two great divisions of biology. Let it be clearly 



