BY DR. OSCAR KATZ. 333 



II. 



The second kind of phosphorescent bacteria, to be named 

 Bacillus ai^genteo-jyhosphorescens, was repeatedly obtained by me 

 from sea-water at Elizabeth Bay, Port Jackson, Sydney. On 

 gelatine, after having been mixed with 10 drops of this water, 

 there would appear, among a considerable number of other colonies, 

 an average number of no more than two luminous colonies which 

 belonged to the above-named species. 



Under high powers of the microscope it exhibits slender rods, 

 which are tapering at their extremities and commonly slightly 

 curved. Intheir adult state they measure about -0025 mm. in length, 

 and are about three times as long as broad. They are motile, and 

 form, so far as I can judge, no filaments. 



For alkaline methylene-blue they seem to have little affinity; for 

 they do not take up this dye so eagerly as is done by most bacteria. 

 Aniline-fuchsin or aniline-gentian-violet yield Ijetter results. 



On and in nutrient gelatine they develop to characteristic 

 colonies of which a detailed description will be given shortly. 

 They do not liquefy the gelatine, and spread themselves on it far 

 more than can be noticed in the case of Bacillus No. I. 



Bacillus argenteo-phosphorescens grows best at temperatures of 

 from 14° to about 23° C, and between these limits there is also 

 the ojjtivittm of its luminosity, this optimum, however, inclining 

 rather to the lower than to the upper of these temperatures. The 

 light, emitted by its cultures in the dark, is of a mild, silvery 

 appearance, and less brilliant than that of Bacillus smaragdino- 

 2}hosphorescens and of the following one. 



III. 



The third kind of bacteria alluded to, which I propose to name 

 Bacillus cyaneo-phospihorescens, I oVjtained, on the 6th of this month 

 (June), from sea- water at Little Bay, 10 miles to the south of 

 Sydney. In a tube of nutritive gelatine mixed with 10 drops of 

 this water, and solidified after the manner of Esmarch, I noticed 

 a few days aftei-wards, besides a good many other colonies, two 

 luminous ones, which were made up of the above bacillus. 



