270 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



It is well known that the chalk formation consists almost en- 

 tirely of the fossil remains of minute organized beings, which are 

 readily detected by the microscope. But independently of these 

 fossils, which represent life which is gone, we are assured by M. 

 Bechamp, that white chalk still contains quite a generation of liv- 

 ing organisms, much smaller than any we know, and less than all 

 the infusoria and microphytes which have been studied in fermen- 

 tations. These living organisms, which M. Bechamp names mi- 

 crozyma cretce, are, the author states, the most powerful ferments 

 known. Taking a sample from the very centre of a large block 

 of native chalk, mixing it with pure water, and examining it by 

 the microscope, there will be seen in the field some bright points, 

 often very numerous, endowed with a very lively try pirating 

 movement. These are the microzymse of M. Bechamp, the small- 

 est living beings to be seen. In further support of his view, AT. 

 Bechamp shows that such chalk is capable of acting as a ferment, 

 and also that it contains the elements necessary to organic beings 

 carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. 



420 grams of starch paste, and 30 grams of chalk, with 4 

 drops of creosote, were intimately mixed. At the same time, a 

 similar mixture was made, but the chalk was replaced by pure 

 carbonate of lime. In 3 days the chalk had liquefied the 

 starch, while the carbonate of lime had effected no change what- 

 ever. On the 14th November, 1864, 100 grams of starch, 1,500 

 c.c. of water, and 100 grams of chalk, with 10 drops of creo- 

 sote, were mixed. On the 30th March, 1866, the mixture was 

 analyzed.. It yielded 4 c.c. of absolute alcohol, 8 grams buty- 

 ric acid, and 5.2 grams of crystallized acetate of soda. On the 

 25th April, 1865, 80 grams of cane sugar, 1,400 grams of 

 chalk, and 1,500 c.c. of creosotic water were put together. On 

 the 14th June, the product of the action yielded 2.6 c.c. absolute 

 alcohol, 4.5 grams butyric acid, 6.8 grams acetate of soda, and 9 

 grains of lactate of lime. 



When proper precautions are taken, no other ferment can be 

 found in the liquid after fermentation, besides those which are 

 found in the chalk, but these have become considerably aug- 

 mented. To prevent chalk from acting as a ferment, it is suffi- 

 cient to raise it, moist, to a temperature of 300 C. 



The organic matter in chalk amounts to 7 per cent., and con- 

 tains carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. Chemical Gazette. 



THE BORING OF LIMESTONE BY ANNELIDS. 



Mr. E. Ray Lankester stated, at the meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation at Dundee, in 1867, that, in the discussions concerning the 

 boring of molluscs, no reference has been made to the boring of 

 annelids, indeed, they seemed to be quite .unknown, and 

 brought forward two cases, very abundant on some shores, where 

 boulders and pebbles may be found worm-eaten, and riddled by 

 them. Only stones composed of carbonate of lime are bored by 

 them. On coasts where such stones are rare, they are selected, 

 and all others left. The worms are quite soft, and armed only 



