496 C. A. LAUBACH, J. L. RICE AND W. W. FORD 



out organisms which seem to be made up of a fine network or 

 skein of filaments. (Figures 53 and 54.) 



Motility. Active motiUty in young cultures. 



Staining properties. Gram-positive. 



Spore formation. Spores begin to form early appearing in 24 

 hours on plain and on glucose agar. They are usually central, 

 one to a cell, and are slightly wider than the vegetative rods. 

 The organisms with spores retain their chain formation and 

 later the free spores may also remain attached in chains. The 

 free spores are cylindrical and measure 0.75 to 1 by 1.5 to 2 

 microns. As they lose their protoplasm they become oval and 

 measure 0.625 to 0.75 by 1 to 1.25 microns. 



Agar slant. Profuse spreading dull growth consisting of fine 

 interlacing filaments developing from the central line of inocu- 

 lation as a rhizoid mass. The early growth is extremely tena- 

 cious and extends deeply into the underlying agar. Later the 

 growth becomes finely granular and friable and can be scraped 

 from the medium. In general the appearance on agar is like 

 that of a culture of Bacillus mycoides. 



Agar stab. Abundant growth along line of inoculation and 

 spreading surface growth. 



Agar colonies. Colonies consist of profusely interlacing fila- 

 ments spreading from opaque centers. They are dull grayish 

 and penetrate the agar, under the surface of which they grow in 

 the medium. 



Glucose litmus agar slant. Scanty growth on the surface with 

 a pronounced acid reaction which remains permanent. 



Glucose litmus agar colonies. Colonies much the same as 

 those on plain agar but somewhat more profuse, with the fila- 

 mentous character more pronounced. 



Gelatin stab. Progressive funnel-like liquefaction often com- 

 plete within three days. 



Gelatin colonies. Colonies consist of profusely interlacing fila- 

 ments spreading from opaque centers. They are dull greyish 

 and penetrate the gelatin, under the surface of which they grow 

 as in agar. Each colony is soon surrounded by a zone of liquid 

 gelatin. 



