24 
gical science ; and the problem comes before us in its simplest enunciation 
of form, structure, and function, when we enter on the study of the lowest 
types of living beings. I trust, therefore, that my attempt to carry on 
further the subject, partially entered upon in my last paper, will not be 
considered out of place. For while I reproduce the story of Monad life 
told us by Heeckel, Cienkowski, and others, the discussion of protoplasm 
theories and of primal organic action will be continued with but slightly 
changed aspects. Here only, if ever, are we likely to probe nature's well- 
kept secret, and learn whether vital action be the mere temporary alliance 
of certain properties of matter, evoked by given conditions, or an indivi- 
sible residual phenomenon of forces incompletely balanced, or finally, a 
separate entity beyond and above all material action. 
Since the date of my last paper, there has been published in the 
Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science, an English translation of a most 
interesting monograph on Monads and certain other organic plasms, 
grouped together in a closely allied series, characterised as a whole by the 
fact of a non-sexual reproduction. The 10 groups of Heeckel constitute 
what he calls the kingdom of Protista. It is, however, but right to bear 
•in mind Hseckel's repeated statement, that he considers his present attempt 
an entiraly provisional one. 
The first group includes Grymnomonera and Lepomonera — the very lowest 
of all organisations, where the whole structureless body of the fully 
developed organism consists of a simple speck of sarcode or plasm. Com- 
pared with this, the compound unit known as a cell is a superior morpholo- 
gical entity. The relation between the cell and such an individual as is 
represented by a morsel of plasm is thus defined by Hceckel — " True cells 
(for the definition of which, I imagine necessary the separation of inner 
nucleus and outer plasm) have arisen from Monera by an inner differentia- 
tion. On the other hand, celliform non-nucleated plasms have originated 
from Monera by an outer differentiation of plasma and enclosing membrane, 
or shell." 
Thus we have :— - 
1. Naked plasma masses, without membrane or nucleus. 
2. Enclosed plasma masses— non-nucleated (pseudo) cells. 
3. True cells— naked plasma masses, with nucleus, but no membrane. 
4. Ditto ditto with nucleus and membrane. 
N.B.— I introduce this histological view of the relation between simple 
protoplasm and "cells," (which latter are compound structures, having a 
definite morphologic vahie,and convenient to refer to as anatomical units, 
