CHAPTER X 



THE HETEROGENETIC ORIGIN OF FUNGUS-GERMS, OF MONADS AND 

 OF AMCEB/E FROM MINUTE MASSES OF ZOOGLCEA 



SOME of the changes to which reference is now to be made 

 were briefly described by me in 1870,' and again more fully 

 in 1872.^ Although the changes then referred to were of a very 

 remarkable nature, and were declared to be of such a kind as to 

 lead to the production of flagellate Monads, of Amoebas, and of 

 Fungus-germs from aggregates of Bacteria imbedded in a "more 

 or less abundant, pellucid, gelatinous material," they seem to have 

 attracted little serious attention, probably because they were so 

 surprising as to be regarded as incredible. I am not aware that 

 any bacteriologist in Europe, America or elsewhere has ever 

 repeated my observations. They seem absolutely wedded to their 

 strict laboratory methods, and seemingly prefer to have dealings 

 with nothing but pure cultures and sterilised media. 



I have recently devoted much time to a further study of these 

 changes occurring in, what has been named, the "prohgerous 

 pelUcle," and have been able not only to confirm the accuracy of 

 the results previously recorded but also to considerably extend 

 them. 3 



Bacterial scums are well known to be exceedingly common in 

 ditches and ponds — that is, in nature's laboratories — and it is a 

 matter of great interest to know what goes on therein. Some light 

 may be thrown upon this subject by making infusions or macera- 

 tions from cut fragments of various plants, and then examining, at 



» " Nature," No. 35, June 30, p. 172. 



= " Proceed, of Royal Soc," 1872, vol. xx,, p. 239, and " The Beginnings of 

 Life," vol. ii., chap. xvii. 



3 At the time when my previous papers were published, very little was known 

 concerning ZoogUea ; and that term was not employed in describing the consti- 

 tution of the pellicle and of the " embryonal areas " occurring therein — though 

 the latter were referred to as aggregates of Bacteria which had formed " around 

 themselves a certain amount of pellucid, gelatinous matter." 



183 



