200 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



To either result we may well be resigned, 

 When ^vith instruction amusement's combined. 

 So ye keep well your temper and never grow cross, 

 Though hit with the bones of the Mammoth 



or Bos, 

 We'll fail not to cheer and cease not to bless 

 That pregnant deposit yclept the Loess. 



A. Conifer. 



NOTES ON THE SCHIZOMVCETES. 



[Continued from ^age 150.] 



No. II. 



II. Ascococcus, Cohn. Cells colourless, very 

 small, round, united in enormous quantity into larger 

 or smaller, globular or irregular families. Families 

 often folded, the folds again crimped, surrounded by 

 a firm, cartilagino-mucous capsule of a rounded form. 



The value of Cohn's genus Ascococcus is, in my opinion, just 

 as questionable as that of the similarly named one of Billroth : 

 it is besides doubtfKl whether or not they .ire identical. Possibly 

 Ascococcus is only a stage in the development of Micrococcus. 



used for an Alga {CI. aruginosa, Henfrey), it is advisable to 

 leave it for that species and to make the species which belongs 

 to the Fungi the type of a new genus, to which I have given the 

 name of Cohnia in honour of Professor Dr. F. Cohn, of Breslau, 

 who has gained so much distinction in the investigation of the 

 Schizomycetes. 



18. C. roseo-petsicina (Kiitz.) 



Protococciis rosco-persicinus, Kiitz. 

 Pkurococcus r.-p., Rabenh. ; Cooke, " Bri- 

 tish Freshwater Algae," p. 6.* 

 Microhaloa rosea, Kiitz. 

 Bacterium riibesceiis, Lankester (Q. J. M. S. 

 xiii., 408, pi. 22-3 ; XV., 206 ; and 

 xvi., 27, pi. 3). 

 Clathrocystis roseo-pcrsicina., Cohn. 

 Cells round, oval, or, by mutual pressure, poly- 

 gonal, varying from rose to purple-red, reaching 2\ fj. 

 in diameter. They form at first small solid families, 

 in which the single cells are bound together by gela- 

 tine, while the whole family is surrounded in addition 

 by a gelatinous envelope. Later, the families become 

 larger, globular or ovoid, and finally irregular bodies, 

 which are hollow and filled with a watery fluid, and 

 reach a diameter of 660 ^ (= I mm. or ,'5 inch). 





ooo* 



h ,. - - - 





C* 



-/=■ 



Fig. 137. — Micrococcus Jirodigiosus, Cohn. 

 X 1200.— [By the kindness of Dr. An- 



( thony, of Birmingham, I am enabled to 

 give this drawing m.idc with the aid of a 

 prism and Solles' Homogeneous Immer- 

 sion .'^th.— Tr.J 



Fig. i;iS.—Ascococc'/s Billrothii 

 (after Cohn). b, the investing 

 capsule. 



Fig. i2i<j.^Sarcina reniricuii (ziltT 

 Lurssen). 



17. A. Billrothii, Cohn. 



Families lump-like, 20-160 m in diameter, sur- 

 rounded by a capsule as much as 15 /i thick, covering 

 the surface of the fluid in a thick floccose layer. 



Forming a membrane on a solution of acid tartrate 

 of ammonia. 



The colonies consist of a well-defined cartilagino-mucous 

 colourless envelope, in which cither only one or several families 

 are enclosed. The families are of very varied size and form, 

 solid, composed of numerous extremely minute round cells. The 

 fungus produces in its nutritive fluid a peculiar decomposition ; it 

 generates out of the ammonic tartrate contained therein butyric 

 acid and butyric ether, and changes the originally acid fluid 

 into an alkaline one, while free ammonia is evolved. 



Clathrocystis (Ilenfrey), 



HI. CoiiNi.\, Winter. 

 Cohn ((jro parte). 



Cells roundish, in a simple peripheral layer sur- 

 rounded by a common gelatine, forming hollow, 

 round or afterwardb irregular bladders or vesicles, 

 which finally are rcticulately i)ierced. Multiplication 

 of the cells by repeated bipariition ; of the families by 

 the protuberance and separation of daughter-families. 



As I comprehend it, Cohn's genus, Clathrocystis, embraces 

 both A.gx and t ungi. Since then the generic name was first 



In these the cells form a simple peripheral layer. 

 These vesicles are often torn or perforated ; in the 

 end they present an elegant network, which finally 

 breaks up into irregular rags and tatters. 



In marshes, floating on the surface or amongst 

 Algae and Lemna ; often also in a room, in water in 

 which Algoe, &c., are decaying. 



The single hitherto known species of this genus is distin- 

 guished by its red colouring matter, which is essentially diflferent 

 Irom that of Micrococcus /•rodigiosus, and is designated Bacte- 

 rio-purpurin. It is insoluble in water, alcohol, &c., is changed 

 by hot alcohol into a brown substance, and is moreover charac- 

 terised by its optical behaviour. For in the spectroscope it 

 shows strong absorption in the yellow, less in the green and 

 blue, as well as a darkening in the more refrangible half of the 

 spectrum. t Each individual cell is surrounded by a dense, 

 almost cartilaginous membrane ; its contents are at first homo- 



•This, as well as Micrococcus prodi^osus, is included by M. 

 C. Cooke among the Algae. The reasons for considering them 

 as Fungi will be given later on. Cooke's description, which is 

 annexed, will be seen to be incorrect or defective in several 

 particulars. " Pleurococciis roseo-persicinus. Aquatic. Cells 

 unequal ("0015 — "004 mm.), cloudy, single or binate, tegument 

 hyaline, collected on a thin, rather gelatinous, peach-rose 

 coloured stratum. Investing submerged aquatic plants. The 

 cells are usually agglomerated in spherical or elliptic masses." 

 — Tk. 



t For the spectrum see Q. J. M. S., xiii. 423. —Tr. 



