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that, according to the opinion recently offered by Sir Wyville 
Thomson, it is probable that the capsule does not present 
itself in some of the Radiolarians. 
Having for twenty years maintained that the Polycystina 
do not possess a true 44 definite nucleus ” ; or, as described by me, 
no true encapsuled nuclear mass ; and that they must on this 
account rank with the Foraminifera, the sarcode bodies of which 
are similarly constituted, and cannot, therefore, even under the 
most strained interpretation of their characters, be grouped 
naturally with the so-called 44 Radiolaria ; ” it is requisite that I 
should call attention to the opinion quite recently expressed by 
Sir Wyville Thomson regarding these organisms, after having had 
nearly a year and a half to maturely weigh all the evidence he 
was so fortunate as to secure ^uring his explorations on board 
the 44 Challenger.” 
Sir Wyville’s work, 44 The Atlantic,” was published at the 
close of 1877, that is to say, nearly a year and a half after the 
return of the expedition. At page 231 of the first volume, the 
subjoined far from encouraging description is given of the 
Radiolaria ; namely that 44 they form a somewhat negative 
class of the sub-kingdom Protozoa, which is retained for the 
reception of those animals of comparatively simple structure, 
such as the Infusoria , &c., whose relations we cannot yet 
FULLY MAKE OUT.” 
Again, at p. 232 of the same volume, the Radiolaria are 
described by him as 44 consisting essentially of rounded or oval 
granular masses of brownish or yellowish colour, interspersed 
with very characteristic round oil-globules, bright yellow, and 
very refractive, the whole cemented together by soft, transparent 
sarcode, including fine granules, Hear the centre of the body 
there is usually a very evident rounded mass of bioplasm , which 
colours deeply with carmine; and the same dye brings out smaller 
bioplasts scattered irregularly through the general substance.” 
Thus we find on a comparison of these descriptions : —First, 
that the 44 granular masses ” mentioned are not identical with the 
bodies afterwards referred to as 44 smaller bioplasts ” ; secondly, 
that 44 the characteristic round oil-globules” are not identical 
with the granular masses just referred to ; and, thirdly, that the 
44 smaller bioplasts scattered irregularly through the general 
substance,” must necessarily be yellow cells or, in other words, 
sarcoblasts. 
This portion of the Rhizopodal structure is, in reality, a 
small spheroidal mass of sarcode, generally varying in size in 
the different families within certain limits, and wholly devoid 
of any true membranous or other special covering. When first 
observable, it consists of an almost colourless, hyaline, viscid, and 
basal fluid, of the consistence and appearance of the white of 
