CONGRUITY OP THE EVIDENCE 297 



the entire egg of a Rotifer or of a Tardigrade becomes transformed 

 into one 6f the larger forms of CiHated Infusoria.' 



I have shown, moreover, how convertible many of these alien 

 derivatives are — how in the pellicle on a hay infusion masses of 

 Zoogloea are formed which segment now into Fungus-germs, now 

 into Flagellate Monads, and now into Amcebae ; and similarly, that 

 the substance of a Rotifer's egg may under different conditions 

 segment into Flagellate Monads, Amoebae, Peranemata, or even 

 into Ciliated Infusoria ; that, on different occasions, one or other 

 of the same kinds of organisms may take origin from the 

 substance of large encysted Amcebae, while an encysted Ciliate 

 may also, itself, break up into segments which develop sometimes 

 into Flagellate Monads, and at others into Amoebae, Peranemata 

 or Fungus-germs. 



I have further shown, here or elsewhere, that Confervoid cells, 

 ' resting spores ' of Spirogyra, and ' resting spores ' of Vaucheria 

 may also yield Amoebae, Actinophrys, or Flagellate Monads ; and 

 I have demonstrated how abundantly similar organisms are born 

 within the closed cells of Nitella, and Spirogyra, and the filaments 

 of Vaucheria. Again, we have found all these organisms — Fungi, 

 Monads, Amcebae, Actinophrys and Ciliated Infusoria proceeding 

 from the substance of Euglenae ; while, at other times, various 

 AlgcB are seen to be derived either from their transformation as a 

 whole or from that of their Chlorophyll Corpuscles. 



However astounding these statements may seem to those who 

 have not worked long and earnestly at such subjects for themselves, 

 I venture to submit that the facts adduced in this volume, backed 

 by the appearances preserved in the photomicrographs, should 

 go far to convince those who will give the subject a fair and 

 impartial consideration. The appearances thus recorded and 

 preserved can neither be explained by the facile solution that they 

 are " results of infection," nor can it be said that the new forms of 

 life which seem to arise by heterogenesis are in reality normal 

 and habitual phases in the life-history of the organisms from 

 which they proceed. These other possible interpretations have 

 always been carefully kept in view in each case, and the evidence 

 for and against them duly weighed. 



All the observations recorded in proof of the heterogenetic origin 



' The evidence in support of these statements, and others in subsequent 

 paragraphs, may be easily found by consulting the Index here, as well as that 

 of my " Studies in Heterogenesis." 



