Mycetozoa. Cormivia Serpula. By Jos. M. Coon. 145 



a stained preparation of alternate, clear, and dark spaces, probably 

 indicating clear and filled parts (figs. 13, 17 and 18). 



Habitat. — C. serpula has only been recorded as found on spent 

 tan which has for some time lain in a heap. 



Habits. — Just before changing from plasmodium to sporangia, 

 most of the Mycetozoa migrate from interior or damp positions 

 to surfaces or dry elevated stations, and this is the case with the 

 other genera of the Trichiaceae ; with C. sei-pula, however, this is 

 not so, as I have uniformly found it some inches from the surface 

 in wet or at least damp tan. In a cultivation in my laboratory, a 

 considerable portion of the plasmodium moved from the damp tan 

 to the bottom of the Petri dish, and formed its plasmodicarp in a 

 partly submerged state. I have thought that this may account for 

 the comparative rarity of the species, as its spores will have small 

 chance of distribution by the wind under such circumstances. 



Methods. 



Spores can be satisfactorily mounted in glycerin jelly. 



Swarm-cells : I have had only small experience ; I recommend 

 Mr. Eousselet's method for Infusoria. 



Plasmodium : Small pieces placed in water will often extend 

 in, say, a few hours ; kill in Flemming's fluid, wash, and stain in 

 Heidenhain's iron-alum-hfematoxylin ; if special nuclear staining 

 be desired, bleach by Mayer's method after fixing and passing 

 through upgraded alcohols to 70 p.c. ; then stain for, say, 48 hours 

 in each solution, i.e. 48 hours in the iron-alum and 48 hours in the 

 hfematoxylin ; differentiate until nuclei only are stained ; control 

 under Microscope. 



Smears may be treated as plasmodium ; remove any lumps 

 which would prevent the cover-glass sitting down well on thin 

 portions. 



Plasmodicarps : Mount in dry cells. 



April 17th, 1907 



