Spencee. — On Life. 115 



between animal and vegetable life, and indeed it would appear that struc- 

 turally, chemically, and physiologically, no distinction is at present demon- 

 strable. 



Not only are there numerous classes of living beings whose animality or 

 vegetability is disputed, but there is a distinct class (the Protista) which is 

 separated from both the animal and vegetable kingdom, and defined as " A 

 kingdom of organic nature, which is intermediate between the animal and 

 vegetable kingdoms, and which comprises the so-called lowest forms of life." 

 And yet, again, other forms appear at one stage of their existence to be 

 animals and at another vegetables. There is a fungus — the jEthalium 

 seplicum — which sometimes infests the tan in hot-houses, and which at one 

 period of its growth is undoubtedly a vegetable, but the mycehum of this 

 mould exhibits amoeboid movements, and characteristics which would place 

 it in the dominion of the animal kingdom. Of this hving being Professor 

 Huxley asks the questions, " What is it ? Is it an animal ? Is it a plant ? 

 Is it both, or is it neither? " By certain biologists it is referred to the 

 Protista as being neither, but Professor Huxley seems to consider this as 

 only doubling a difficulty which at first was single. 



It is therefore apparent that he considers that the same living being may 

 be both an animal and a vegetable. An analogous phenomenon may be 

 observed in the Volvox globator, a unicellular confervoid Alga, spherical in 

 shape, and studded with minute cilia, by the aid of which it performs a con- 

 tinual rolling motion. In the interior of this plant are to be seen numerous 

 bright green globules, which are, in fact, young Volvoces waiting to be 

 liberated by the bursting of the parent cell. Occasionally, however, one of 

 these globules will lose its green colour, become transparent, the contents 

 escape, and at once assume the characteristic appearance and movements of 

 the amoeba. 



The identity of animal and vegetable life is further confirmed by various 

 facts in then' physiological actions. Thus we know that certain plants 

 belonging to the Droseracese, or sun-dew tribe, have the power not only of 

 closing then' leaves when stimulated by the contact of an insect so as to 

 entrap their prey ; but also, after having entrapped, to digest it — to assimi- 

 late the digestible portions and to exude the indigestible ; and for this pur- 

 pose the plant secretes a peplie fluid, not dissimilar to the gastric juice of 

 animals. The actions of certaui therapeutical agents also are so identical 

 in thek effects on animal or vegetable living matter that little doubt can 

 remain as to the oneness of their composition and vitality. We all know 

 that if animals are subjected to the vapour of chloroform or ether they 

 quickly fall into a state of profound slumber, from which they cannot be 

 awakened by any ordinary phpsical means, but which soon passes away 



