ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 89 



duction and spore-formation. The author is of opinion, therefore, that 

 Myxobacteria ought to be included among the Myxomycetes as a special 

 family akin to the Guttulinaceaj and the Dictyosteliaceae. 



Yahle also gives an account of the cultural, morphological, and 

 physiological characters of the B. oxalaticus of Kuntze, and compares it 

 with the /,'. ruminatus of Gottheil. He describes the germination of 

 the spores upon dextrose-agar and upon sugar-free agar media. 'I 1 he 

 optimum temperature for the germination of spores is 87° C, the 

 maximum 47° C. Spore formation did not take place at a temperature 

 above 40°. These two organisms resemble each other greatly, the most 

 marked difference being found in the resistance of the spores to heat, 

 and in the effect of temperature upon germination. The B. oxalaticus 

 has less power of resistance than B. ruminatus. 



Lastly, this author compares Spirillum rubrum and 8. volutans. 

 The former possesses four flagella at each end, whereas the latter has 

 one large tuft. Both organisms are difficult to stain. Their cultural 

 characters are almost identical. Their physiological characters are 

 similar. They both have little power of resistance to high tempera- 

 tures. The pigment formation of the former organism is the only 

 salient point of distinction. 



Relation of the Ratin-bacillus to the Bacilli of the Gaertner 

 Group.* — Xylander found that the cultural characters of the Ratin- 

 bacillns and of a large number of bacilli belonging to the Gaertner 

 group were similar. The sugar-fermentation reactions were identical. 

 Agglutination reactions differentiate sharply between Ratin-bacillus and 

 the B. paratyphosus (3, but fail to differentiate between Ratin-bacillus 

 and the original bacillus of Gaertner. The addition of 0'8 p.c. of 

 caffein to nutrient agar causes modifications in the size and form of the 

 Ratin-bacillus as of the Gaertner bacillus. A thermostable toxin pro- 

 duced by the Ratin-bacillus resembles greatly the toxins of the Gaertner 

 group in its effect upon animals. The author concludes that this 

 organism should be included in the Gaertner group. 



Xylander also reports upon " Ratio II.," a proprietary substance 

 designed for the destruction of rats. It claims to be a bacterial culture, 

 hut the author shows that it is in reality not a bacterial substance at 

 all. but is largely composed of an extract of squills. 



Observations on certain Lactic Acid Bacteria of the so-called 

 Bulgaricus type.y — B. White and 0. T. Avery obtained cultures from a 

 large number of sources. These included commercial preparations, cul- 

 tures from various laboratories, and strains isolated from the preparations 

 of native Armenians. They found that, in cultural and morphological 

 characters, these organisms had much in common with one another and 

 with the group of Bacteria caucasica. They are non-motile, and do not 

 form spores. Viable bacilli are Gram -positive ; involution forms are 

 Gram-negative. Freshly isolated organisms grow upon milk or upon 

 media containing whey or malt. The optimum temperature is 40-50 C. 



* Cent-albl. Bakt., lte Abt. lii. (1909) pp. 455-68. 

 t Op. cit., 2te Abt., xx v . (1909) pp. 161-78. 



