1884. ], Colonial Organisms. 14} 
It is proposed here to offer a general consideration of the sub- 
ject in its application to both the vegetable and animal kingdoms, 
and mainly from the colonial point of view, though with full 
acknowledgment -of the tendency of the generalized parts of an 
organic body to assume the form of the whole, and the power 
of each unspecialized cell to act as a reproductive germ. It is 
quite possible that some new arguments may be advanced, and 
the whole subject be placed in a clearer light, since, so far as the 
writer is aware, no complete treatment of it has been yet at- 
tempted. 
Organic forms are reproduced in two methods : by asexual and 
by sexual generation. The first, the development of unfertilized 
germinal cells, is the most common in the lowest forms of life. 
The second, the development of fertilized germs, or of germinal 
cells into whose composition enters material from two separate 
individuals, gradually replaces the first as life attains a higher 
grade, and completely replaces it in the highest forms. In con- ` 
nection with this is another fact of importance here. The pro- 
ducts of asexual reproduction very commonly remain attached 
to the mother form, and compose colonies. The products of 
sexual reproduction never remain attached, but always enjoy a 
free existence. This distinction is markedly displayed in vegeta- 
ble life, in which the product of the leaf bud continues, with few 
exceptions, attached to the parent form, while the product of the 
flower bud is always set free, to give rise to a new parent stock. 
There is reason to believe that generalized cells, capable of 
‘productive development under proper conditions, exist abun- 
dantly in every part of every organism. In all the higher animals, 
if the views advanced by the writer in a preceding paper’ be cor- 
rect, these mainly exist in the blood current, as the amceboid white 
corpuscles, In many of the lower animals, in which specialization 
made no progress, most or all of the cells of the body possess 
Power, and reproductive budding may take place at any part 
the organism, or if it be cut into minute portions, each of 
e may develop into a new individual. In vegetable forms the 
“et Condition seems to prevail, In the lower plants every cell 
vag be capable of asexual development. In the higher plants 
€ process of specialization has taken this power from the great 
< of colle, yet vast numbers of cells exist capable of germinal 
Organit Physics, AMER. NAT., July, 1882. 
this 
of 
