142 ' [November, 



Page 147. " The common or physical basis of vegetable life, namely protoplasm, 

 is very nearly indistinguishable in its properties from that of animals. Their behaviour 

 is every day being proved to be not only similar but identical in the two kingdoms. 

 The effects, under mechanical irritations and strains, of nutritive matters of the 

 same kind, of poisonous substances, of electricity, &c, all show that the bond which 

 unites the animal and vegetable kingdoms together is of one and the same nature, 

 and that the links of the chain are forged out of this common basis of life. 



" It is not to be wondered at, then, but rather to be anticipated, that tissues will 

 behave alike in both kingdoms ; that organs will grow with use and degenerate with 

 disuse ; that they will develope processes to meet strains put upon them, as the limbs 

 of animals have done, and as stems will do by forming special tissues ; and, on the 

 other hand, that they will atrophy if not called upon to display their powers, as 

 parasitic organisms abundantly show in both kingdoms; and as plants degenerate in 

 water, which saves them the trouble of supporting themselves. 



" All this is exactly what one finds to be the case in every department of the 

 animal and vegetable kingdoms alike, whenever we search diligently into the anatomy 

 and meaning of the histological details of all parts of organisms." 



Page 151. "Having now stated on what grounds I believe that the cohesions 

 and adhesions between them, as well as the forms of floral structure have arisen — 

 namely, in response to the irritations set up mainly by insect agencies, coupled with 

 the effects of nutrition, atrophy, hereditary influences, &c, — it will be desirable to 

 show briefly, not only how remarkably sensitive almost all parts, both vegetative and 

 reproductive, are to the action of stimuli, but how they exhibit even visibly respon- 

 sive effects, both in protoplasm of the cells and in the tissues which are composed of 

 them." 



Page 157. " A small swelling appears on the tigellum of Myrmecodium, serving 

 the purpose of a reservoir of water, but which only grows larger through the agency 

 of ants. These creatures induce hypertrophy of the cellular tissue. This, then, 

 becomes hereditary. I would venture to go further, and attribute the honey-pits at 

 the base of the leaf-stalk on Acacia sphcerocephala, as well as the terminal 'fruit- 

 bodies ' occurring on the tips of the leaflets, to the same cause, viz., the mechanical 

 irritation of the ants. 



" There is, in fact, an abundance of evidence to prove that many organs of, a 

 plant, if subjected to irritation, can respond to it, and not only increase in size by 

 hypertrophy, but materially alter their anatomical structure and develop new 

 processes. Secondly, that these altered states, if the irritation be persisted in, may 

 become hereditary." 



Page 178. " From the preceding remarks it will now be gathered that colours, 

 per se, are a result of nutrition ; and that the prevalence of brighter colours in 

 conspicuous flowers which are regularly visited by insects is due to the stimulating 

 effects which they have produced, thereby causing more nutritive fluids to pour into 

 the attractive organs. 



" Besides, however, this general result of brilliant colouring, there are those 

 peculiar and special displays of bright tints distributed in spots and streaks in 

 certain and definite places only. Those have been called ' guides ' and ' path-finders,' 



