THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



365 



deposit began to collect at the bottom of the flask, 

 which slowly increased in quantity. 



On opening the flask the reaction of the fluid was 

 found to be still slightly acid- and on microscopical 

 examination of the deposit several different kinds of 

 organisms were discovered in and amongst the granular 

 aggregations of which it was in great part composed. 

 Many minute fragments of deal wood dotted ducts, 

 &c. were also intermixed. 



Amongst the organisms were perfectly-formed Bacteria, 

 about y^oo" in length, which were very numerous and 

 extremely active:, several long unsegmented Leptothrix 

 filaments, -3-^-5" in diameter ; many oat-shaped Torula 

 corpuscles, about 5-<ro o" i n length j three or four spherical 



FIG. 26. 



Bacteria, Leptothrix, Toruhe, and other organisms found in a Solution of 

 Ferric and Ammonic Citrate, plus some minute fragments of deal 

 wood. ( x 800.) 



or ovoid fungus-spores, each having a large central 

 nucleus, and others rather smaller, having granules 

 within instead of a distinct nucleus ; also, partly 

 imbedded in one of the granular aggregations was a 



