AND CONTENTS OF THE MOUTH. 419 



The spores constitute the third element, and are of globular 

 form ; pale in iodine solution, more or less coloured in the aniline. 

 They are smaller in the younger clusters, on which, for this very 

 reason, the peduncles or sterigmata are more discernible ; whilst, 

 the spores becoming afterwards larger and covered with a more 

 viscid substance, the peduncles remain hidden. Besides, the spores 

 are not equally thick in all the fructifications ; but where the spores 

 are thinner, as in Fig. 23, a^ there the details mentioned are more 

 visible. The little or non-visibility of the peduncles may result, 

 not only from the opacity produced by the abundance and density, 

 or from the heavy colouring of the viscid substance, but even, 

 where this is thin and transparent, from the identity of the index 

 of refraction of the two elements. 



The fourth element is the viscid substance or glair, which we 

 hold to be the last to form. It proceeds from a sort of oozing or 

 secretion of the stalk or of the spores themselves, for, in the 

 younger ears, with yet small spores, it appears thinner and 

 indistinct. 



And these are the fructifications which exhibit a more striking 

 resemblance to real clusters, either in the solution of iodine or 

 when they are very slightly affected by gentian violet. On the 

 other hand, in the ears with an internal swelling of the stalk, the 

 size of the spores, as well as the density and colouring of the 

 viscid substance, reach the highest degree, as we shall see later on. 

 That the viscid substance may proceed from the filament is 

 exhibited by the cited examples, in other species, by Billet, as well 

 as in our parasite, by those filaments of Leptothrix buccalis maxt?na 

 and oi Bacillus buccalis max imus, which, with the new i /2 5 th obj ective, 

 appear thoroughly enveloped in a hyaline sheath. That it may 

 proceed from the spores is shown by the example of the incapsu- 

 lated diplococci. However, between the exudation of the old 

 filaments and that of the ears there is this difference : that the 

 first has greater affinity for the acidulated solution of iodine, in 

 which it is better discerned, and the second for the gentian violet. 



Keeping in view, on one side, these various elements, and, on 

 the other, the degree and different nature of the colouring, we may 

 fully explain the varied aspects of the fructifications. 



Concerning the gathering and the preparation of the patina 



