LIFE PHENOMENA I SOME NOTES ON NITELLA, ETC. ] 05 
bodies, these all circulating and moving with much freeness 
in a transparent and colourless liquid. The cellulose wall 
has entering into its composition, on its inner side, a number 
-of small, oval-looking cells, some more ovally lengthened 
than others, closely arranged side by side ; and if I am correct 
in this observation you may detect other larger, irregular 
sided, cell-looking bodies, these apparently interspersed on 
the outer side of the wall. The cell wall has a green appear¬ 
ance (due to its contained chlorophyll), and is perfectly 
transparent, for you may see, and with much marked dis¬ 
tinctness, circulating within, the cell contents as they 
are propelled along by the liquid moving protoplasm. 
The protoplasm in Nitella is not free, it does not emit 
pseudopodia, but is closely confined within its resisting 
cell wall, composed of cellulose, completely shutting it up 
from all direct contact with any external medium. The firm 
resisting cellulose membrane or wall is a secretion from the 
active protoplasmic mass within, and may contain a more or 
less interspersion of limy or siliceous matter ; but this latter 
condition is more particularly noticeable in Chara than in 
Nitella. Having now noticed the cellulose wall, permit me 
to direct attention to the contents of the cell, as seen under 
a J objective. These will be found to consist of large oil 
globules, free chlorophyll masses, presenting a cell-like 
appearance, smaller protoplasmic cell masses, and other 
granular and solid looking matter, each and all circulating 
with remarkable freeness ; the circulating matter of one cell 
does not pass into another, but is confined to that in which 
it originated. This circulatory process is not due to any 
inherent property resident within these bodies themselves, 
but to the active movements of the transparent, and at 
present scarcely observable, liquid living protoplasm which 
fills each cell, and which itself carries these bodies with its 
current. The circulatory movements (although these may 
not be seen with easy distinctness), sometimes appear to be 
doubly performed, you may observe an upper and a lower 
current, to enable you to detect this, careful observation is 
required; each current in the main, however, is seen, 
running up one side of the cell and returning by the 
opposite side; the central portion is not wholly without 
movement, but it is scarcely observable here ; and some 
of the masses occasionally may be seen to pass from side to 
side in their course from one end of the cell to the other. 
This circulatory process normally is performed and carried 
out with the utmost regularity, but bring some abnormal 
circumstance into existence, cause the dissecting needle to 
