140 M. C. COOKE ON SOME REMARKABLE MOULDS. 



primary thread or stem. Evidently it was impossible to demon- 

 strate with certainty whether the spores were produced solitary at 

 the tips of the papillae, or whether in chains. No evidence could 

 be found that the spores were ever concatenate. The mould would 

 not be cultivated, and hence uncertainty must attach to it until 

 found again, and examined under more favourable conditions. 



The first doubt which naturally presents itself is — whether this 

 species belongs to either Aspergillus or Sterigmatocystis, since it is 

 uncertain whether the spores were ever concatenate, and that is an 

 essential feature in these two genera. It can only be permitted to 

 remain with a note of interrogation. The rough spores would only 

 be a secondary consideration. This mould is of interest as being 

 probably one confined to animal substances for its matrix, but even 

 that cannot be affirmed with confidence. Hitherto it has only been 

 seen on the dead pupae of Lepidoptera. 



Aspergillus nigricans (Auct.), Cooke, " Grevillea" vi., 127. 



The third mould to which I would refer has also a special in- 

 terest of its own, from having been found on the human subject. 

 It was given to me by one of our ex-presidents, Mr. Arthur Dur- 

 ham, now some years ago, and was found inhabiting the meatus 

 auditorius of the human ear. I am uncertain whether it is the 

 same as one mentioned in the " Chicago Medical Journal," xxxiii., 

 p. 913, but it does not seem to be the same as the A. nigrescens of 

 Kobin. The hyaline, uncoloured supporting hyphae were from one 

 to two millemetres in length, and about one-hundredth of a mille- 

 metre in thickness, seemingly continuous throughout their length, 

 for no septum could be detected. The apex was swollen, in a glo- 

 bose manner, to about three times the diameter of the support, 

 surrounded on all sides with closely-packed, radiating, cylindrical 

 cells, about six times as long as broad, and with a diameter equal 

 to that of the spores. To each of these radiating cells was attached 

 at its outward extremity, a chain of globose, smooth, sootj'-coloured 

 spores, which seemed black when massed, and 5 micromillemetres 

 in diameter. The entire globose heads, including spores, measured 

 about one-tenth of a millemetre. 



It is only the specific identity of this mould which is in question, 

 but I did not feel disposed, with the doubts in my own mind, to 

 describe it as a new species. Nevertheless it cannot fail to be in- 

 teresting as a human parasite. 



