f# 



176 



THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



can be easily discriminated. With regard to the 



first appearance of these 



Hassall 



I have 



observed many times the emission of the spore in a 

 coloured infusion, and tiien noticed that the agitation 

 of the granules ^ by the motion of the cilia is not felt 

 until about a fourth part of the spore has been released.' 

 Prof. Unger saw these spores moving about for more 

 than two hours, but when they were covered by a thin 

 slip of glass, as during the observations of Dr. Hassall, 



move 



minutes. 



Hassall says :-^^ The vibration of the 

 cilia continues sometimes after the spore is arrested, 

 only it is not sufficiently strong to displace the cor- 

 puscle. When at last they cease to move, the contour 

 of the spore undergoes during some instants a sensible 

 alteration, which announces, perhaps, the decomposi- 



\ The 



tion or the absorption of the vibratile organs 2, 

 motionless spore delays not to modify itself once again : 



+ 



it becomes spherical j the green matter distributes itself 

 equally, and the episporic membrane, in part reabsorbed, 

 at last escapes the sight ; very soon germination com- 



. . . The elongation of the filaments 

 progresses, one might say by eye-sight; for I have 

 measured more than once an increase of three-twentieths 

 of a millimetre in an hour.' The formation of the 

 spores always takes place during the first hours of the 



mences 



^ Of carmine or indigo. 

 ^ The rapid formation and disappearance 

 these spores are features of extreme interest. 



of the cilia surrounding 



/ 



The 



mode of 01 



ji'seed-ce'i 

 tl illustrates 



in 





t are 



now consi 



le protoplasmic 



c 



pr(X 



eflt, instead of 

 I, Alexander I 



ace as folio 



\ seed-cells of Q 



IC 



compose! 



with chloro 

 earlier vei^etati 



" *^ % have bee 

 «se i.T '''read, 





i.^H. 



'P">ent -^ 





4. 



I 



