LIFE phenomena: some notes on nitella, etc. 107 
very abundantly. These are masses of protoplasm, per¬ 
meated by a colouring matter, which under the influence of 
light presents a green appearance. These chlorophyll cells, 
immediately on gaining their exit, become changed in appear¬ 
ance. You may detect very numerous alterations in 
shape which these cell masses have assumed. Some have 
jutted-out processes; some retain their circular appear¬ 
ance ; others lengthen considerably ; others, again, remain 
circular, and shoot out several very long, delicate, filmy pro¬ 
cesses ; others may unite; and others, again, may lose 
entirely their circular appearance, and all their contents 
may be seen to be thrown out into one long fihre-looking 
process, and several of these green chlorophyll cells become 
transformed into complete oil globules. Very many of them 
showed a marked similarity to the multi- or bi-polar nerve 
cells, whose nucleus was absent. Oil globules are also to be 
seen particularly numerous, and several of these exceedingly 
large. The majority, immediately upon gaining their exit, 
take on a roughened, shaggy, dark appearance, and lose 
their characteristic brightness. They were not noticed to 
possess this appearance during their confined circulation, 
and when a drop of water was placed upon the slide this 
appearance quickly disappeared, and the distinct oil globule 
again came into view. There were numerous other granular- 
looking particles noticed, both during circulation and after 
division of the cell wall. Neither the iarge globular cell 
masses of protoplasm nor the smaller portions after their exit 
seemed to alter their form or position in the least, or evince 
the slightest signs of movement. 
Similar observations to these may be noticed in numerous 
other plant forms, in Chara, in Vallisneria, in Anacharis, 
and in the hairs of certain other plants—notably in the 
hairs from the flower of Tradescantia virginica , a very 
common garden plant. The movements of the protoplasm 
may be noticed here to very great advantage, and the nucleus 
of the large cells composing these hairs may also be noticed. 
And in advanced stages of the cell’s existence, where the 
cell is not now filled with protoplasm, but where only a 
small quantity is seen to exist, you may notice that several 
filmy, fibrinous-looking bands of protoplasm proceed from 
the nucleus here to different parts of the cell wall. The 
circulatory fluid and contents traversing these routes of 
protoplasm in a variety of directions, and all, as a rule, 
tending towards the nucleus, in whatever part of the cell 
this may be placed. This, again, is a very beautiful and 
instructive observation. We may thus, you see, obtain 
