290

ESSAY ON CLASSIFICATION.

has been satisfactorily ascertained that the Corallines andNullipores are genuine Algae which contain more or lesslime in their structure, and since there is hardly anygroup among the lower animals and lower plants whichdoes not contain simple locomotive individuals, as well ascompound communities, either free or adhering to thesoil, I do not see that the facts known at present precludethe possibility of an association of the Rhizopods withthe Algae . This would almost seem natural, when weconsider that the vesicles of many Fuci contain a viscid,filamentous substance, so similar to that protruded fromthe body of the Rhizopods , that the most careful micro-scopic examination does not disclose the slightest differ-ence in its structure from that which mainly forms thebody of Rhizopods . The discovery by Schultze 1 of whathe considers as the germinal granules of these beings byno means settles this question, since we have similar ovoidmasses in Algae , and since, among the latter, locomotiveforms are also very numerous . 2

With reference to the Infusoria, I have long since ex-pressed my conviction that they are an unnatural com-bination of the most heterogeneous beings. A largenumber of them, the Desmidieae and Volvocinse, arelocomotive Algae . Indeed, recent investigations seem tohave established beyond all question the fact, that all theInfusoria Anentera of Ehrenberg are Algae . 3 The Ente-rodela, however, are true animals, but belong to two verydistinct types, for the Yorticellidse differ entirely from all

1 Schultze (M.S.), Polythalamien, more I examine these enigmatical

q. a., p. 24. bodies the more do they impress me

2 The recent investigations of Ehr- as being allied to the lower AIg » andenberg and J. Muller, q. a., p. 113, to the Sponges, rather than to anynote 2, indicate a very close affinity type of the animal kingdom,between the Thalassicolse, the Poly- 3 Comp, the works, q. a., p. 113,cystinse and the Rhizopods ; and the note 2.