THE WONDERS OF LIFE 



divided, and formed larger plasma-granules of a homo- 

 geneous character: monera (=probionta). 6. In con- 

 sequence of surface-strain or of chemical differentiation, 

 there took place a separation of the firmer cortical 

 layer (membrane) from the softer marrow layer (central 

 granule), as in many of the chromacea. 7. Afterwards 

 the simplest (nucleated) cells were formed from these 

 unnucleated cytodes, the hereditary mass of the plasm 

 gathering within the monera and condensing into a firm 

 nucleus. 



It is an interesting, but at present unanswered, 

 question whether the process of archigony only occurred 

 once in the course of time or was frequently repeated. 

 Reasons can be given for both views. Pfliiger says: 

 "In the plant the living albumin only continues to do 

 what it has done ever since its origin — constantly to 

 regenerate itself or to grow; hence I believe that all the 

 albumin in the world comes from that source. On that 

 account I doubt if spontaneous generation takes place in 

 our time. Moreover, comparative biology directly shows 

 that all life has come from one single root." However, 

 this view does not exclude the possibility of the chemical 

 process of spontaneous plasmodomism having been fre- 

 quently repeated — under like conditions — in the same 

 form in primordial times. 



On the other side, Nageli especially has pointed out 

 that there is no reason to prevent us from thinking that 

 archigony was repeated several times, even down to our 

 own day. Whenever the physical conditions for the 

 chemical process of plasmodomism were given, it might 

 be repeated anywhere at any time. As to locality, the 

 sea-shore probably affords the most favorable conditions ; 

 as, for instance, on the surface of fine moist sand the 

 molecular forces of matter in all its conditions — gaseous, 

 fluid, viscous, and solid — find the best conditions for 

 acting on each other. It is a fact that to-day all the 



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