138 BOTANICAL RESULTS OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



A number of these were, however, successful. The observations may be divided into 

 those on 



1. The alimentary canal of Antarctic animals. 



2. Sea water. 



3. Air. 



1. BACTERIOLOGY OF ALIMENTARY TRACTS OF ANTARCTIC ANIMALS. 



Whether or not bacteria play an essential role in vertebrate economy by their 

 action in the alimentary tract, particularly the intestines, is a point which need not 

 be discussed here, but the observations of Levin in Spitsbergen appear to show that 

 in Arctic birds and seals the intestines may harbour no bacterial flora. It was a point, 

 therefore, of considerable interest to see if similar conditions prevailed in the Antarctic 

 regions where, considering how much more these are cut off from the rest of the world, 

 one might, on general grounds, expect them to be even more probable. My observa- 

 tions, however, so far as they go, point rather in the other direction, namely, that 

 bacteria are present as a rule in the intestines of the seals and birds, although I certainly 

 was not successful in obtaining them in all the species examined. The following table 

 shows the species from which I made cultures ; the result, whether positive or negative ; 

 and some brief notes on the character of the growths and organisms obtained. 



Nos. 1 and 2 were inoculated from a Cape pigeon which had been 24 hours killed. 

 Growth appeared in No. 2, an agar stab culture, in 24 hours, both on the surface and 

 down the needle track. A moist white growth, most active on the surface, taking 

 on a yellow tinge as it grew thicker. Sub-culture on gelatine as a streak culture 

 gave a slimy thick white growth, developing into two thick ridges on either side of 

 the streak. Apparently pure culture of a stout short bacillus, with rounded ends, 

 actively motile, Gram ve, terminal spores (?) or polar staining. 



No. 4. Agar stab culture from intestine of ringed penguin. Growth in 24 hours, 

 chiefly on the surface. Colonies moist, white, granular, becoming brownish in centre. 



No. 6. Agar stab culture from large intestine of Ross seal. Growth in 24 hours. 

 Thin moist slimy growth on surface, with crenated edge. Extensive growth from stab, 

 in form of branches into medium into fuzziness round each branch. 



No. 7. Gelatine stab from same as No. 6. Good growth in 3 days. White on 

 the surface. Cup-shaped depression formed but no liquefaction. 



No. 14. Gelatine stab from intestine of Emperor penguin 20 hours killed. 

 Liquefaction of medium, but this may have been due to a mould which was found to 

 have got in. 



No. 15. Agar stab culture from same as No. 14. White irregular growth on 

 surface, but not extending for any distance down the stab. Strong faecal odour in 

 the tube. A mixed growth. 



No. 18. Agar stab culture from intestine of cormorant. Growth visible only 

 after 4 days. A moist white surface growth. None along stab. 



