this.split = function()
      {
        var i, maxIndex = 0, maxRadius = 0.0;
        var emptySlot; 
        var motherBlob, newBlob;  
      
        if(this.numActive == this.maxNum)
        {
          return; 
        }
        
        emptySlot = this.blobs.length;
        for(i = 0; i < this.blobs.length; i++)
        {
          if(this.blobs[i] != null && this.blobs[i].getRadius() > maxRadius)
          {
            maxRadius = this.blobs[i].getRadius(); 
            motherBlob = this.blobs[i]; 
          }
          else if(this.blobs[i] == null)
          {
            emptySlot = i; 
          }
        }
        
        motherBlob.scale(0.75); 
        newBlob = new Blob(motherBlob.getXPos(), 
          motherBlob.getYPos(), motherBlob.getRadius(), 8); 
          
        for(i = 0; i < this.blobs.length; i++)
        {
          if(this.blobs[i] == null)
          {
            continue; 
          }
          this.blobs[i].addBlob(newBlob); 
          newBlob.addBlob(this.blobs[i]); 
        }
        this.blobs[emptySlot] = newBlob; 
          
        this.numActive++; 
      }