70 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 



nitrogenous cell-substance, or protoplasm. In most genuine 

 animals, on the other hand, the skeleton generally consists 

 either of nitrogenous combinations (chitin, etc.) or of cal- 

 careous earth. In this respect some Protista are more like 

 plants, others more like animals. In many of them the 

 skeleton is principally or entirely fonned of calcareous earth, 

 which is met with both in animal and vegetable bodies. 

 But the active vital substance in all cases is the mucous 

 protoplasm. 



In regard to the forra of the Protista, it is to be remarked 

 that the individuality of their body almost always remains 

 at an extremely low stage of development. Very many Pro- 

 tista remain for Life simple plastids or individuals of the first 

 order. Others, indeed, form colonies or republics of plastids 

 by the union of several individuals. But even these higher 

 individuals of the second order, formed by the combination 

 of simple plastids, for the most part remain at a very low 

 stage of development. The members of such communities 

 among the Pi-otista remain very similar one to another, and 

 never, or only in a slight degree, commence a division of 

 labour, and are consequently as little able to render their 

 community fit for higher functions as are, for example, the 

 savages of Australia. Tlie commimity of the plastids re- 

 mains in most cases very loose, and each single plastid 

 retains in a great measure its own individual independence. 



A second structural characteristic, which next to their low 

 stage of individuality especially distinguishes the Protista, 

 is the low stage of development of their stereometrical 

 fundamental forms. As I have shown in my theory of 

 fundamental forms (in the fourth book of the General 

 Morphology), a definite geometrical fundamental form can 



