in the latter respect each one of them is like Amoeba as well.  They may remain together for a longer or shorter period, or during their whole existence until the time of reproduction.  Like the solitary protozooen, each member leads a complete life in and by itself, equivalent to that of every biological unit.  It obeys the two great laws already laid down, but in addition it seems to be required to remain with the others for some mutual good.  The biological value of the association which imposes this additional obligation may be found perhaps in the fact that a large group is not so readily eaten by an enemy as an individual cell; but it is clearer that the process of reproduction, which consists of the fusion of small “gametes,” or nucleated fragments produced by diverse or similar parents, must be greatly facilitated by the occurrence of gamete-forming individuals in one and the same colony. “To remain together” is the new duty imposed by nature for the good of all and for the welfare of each member of the group.  Some biological advantage accrues to the several components, just as the banding of wolves enables the pack to accomplish something which the single wolf is unable to do, although in the latter case it is not so much a reproductive alliance that is formed as an offensive and defensive union.

One step higher in the scale stands the plant-form called Volvox, near the border-line between the one-celled and the many-celled organisms.  This aquatic type, about the size of the head of an ordinary pin, is a hollow spherical colony, with a wall composed of closely set cellular components.  These elements are not all alike, as in the case of colonial protozoa like Vorticella, for they fall into two classes which are distinguished by certain structural and functional characteristics.  Most of them are simple feeding individuals which absorb nourishment for themselves primarily, but they pass on their surplus supplies to less favored neighbors if occasion demands.  The other members begin life like the first-named, but later they become specialized to serve as reproductive individuals solely.  Every member of the colony must obey the first precept of nature, otherwise it would be unable to play its part in the life of the whole community.  But the discharge of the second natural obligation, namely to preserve the race, is here assigned to some, and to some only, of the whole group of cell individuals.  It follows therefore that the division of the tasks necessary for the maintenance of a complete biological individual, and the differentiation of the members of the group into two kinds, leads to the establishment of an individuality of a higher order than the cell.  Neither the purely nutritive nor the reproducing member is complete in itself; the two kinds must be combined to make a perfect organism.  The life of any member can be selfish no longer, for if it is to exist itself, it must help others for the mutual advantage of all.  A clear social relation is thus established; and the reflex conduct of the units of a Volvox colony can be justly denoted altruistic, even though in this case, as before, there can be no conscious recognition of the reasons why mutual interests are best served by what is actually done.