16 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
than such infusoria. Yet because a number of nucleated bodies are dis¬ 
covered as constituents of their structures, it is believed that, though 
constructed after the exact model of our unicellular infusoria, this has 
been accomplished by a swarm of autonomous cell-beings ranging them¬ 
selves into exact organic position, so as to faithfully imitate the model. 
This organizing feat could be achieved by them only by means of an in¬ 
conceivable and therefore miraculously aimful activity, which to assume 
is contrary to reason. In my opinion such a miraculous requirement im¬ 
posed upon elementary beings is itself a sufficient reductio ad absurdum 
of the cell-theory—of the theory that we are not ourselves autonomous 
individuals, but a whole city full of independent citizens. 
Some turbellaria multiply like infusoria by spontaneous fissiparous 
division. Other kinds form strings of only partly divided individuals, 
which keep fastened together though they have separate mouths and 
alimentary canals. In others again the different individuals forming a 
chain are less divided from one another, being indeed so blended to¬ 
gether as to form segments of a compound individual, with but one 
mouth and a continuous alimentary canal. If this complex worm be 
divided anywhere along its length, each segment will reproduce the en¬ 
tire being with its exact number of segments, a certain indication that 
complete unification of its entire living substance has been established. 
Its functional reproduction is effected by definite germs specialized and 
localized for the purpose, but constituting chemical fragments just the 
same as an} T artificially divided part. 
During further phylogenetic elaboration each segment of the complex 
organism undergoes additional structural and functional specifications. 
The muscular layer of the ectoderm, for instance, at first undifferenti¬ 
ated, becomes split up into a transverse and a longitudinal layer; these 
into special muscular bands, and these again into a number of fibres. 
I ask, if it is even remotely plausible that the reverse has been the 
case; that’separate muscular cell-units have intelligently ranged them¬ 
selves so as to gradually compose more and more complex and molec- 
ulary efficient muscular structures ? 
The order of phylogenetic development from homogeneity of the sub¬ 
stance of the muscular layer to its gradual differentiation into separate 
muscles, and these eventually into separate fibres, disproves sufficiently 
the assumption of autonomous cell-beings. 
It is the same with regard to all differentiations and specifications 
occurring in the entodermic layer, as well as in the ectodermic layer of 
the organic individual. 
That worms, formed of individuals blended together during arrested 
fissiparous division, afford the groundwork for highest modes of differ- 
