S. G. Paine • 489 



on shaking, sank to the bottom and did not re-form. In three other 

 tubes there was not the slightest sign of pelHcle formation. After 

 eight days the hquid was neutral to htmus, and a small bubble of gas 

 had collected in a Durham's tube. 



III. Physiological Characters. 



The culture used for these experiments was prepared as recom- 

 mended by Harding and Morse (7) in their report of investigations on 

 the physiological behaviour of various strains of soft-rot-producing 

 organisms, successive transfers being made from bouillon to bouillon- 

 gelatine and then to bouillon-agar, one night's incubation at 20° C. 

 being allowed between each. A tube of Dunham's solution was inoculated 

 copiously from the last and a loopful of this employed for each test. 

 In all cases unless otherwise stated the temperature of incubation was 

 20° C. 



10 per cent. Wifte Peptone + 1 per cent. Glucose. Became slightly acid 

 on the second day ; on the fourth day it had become strongly acid and 

 a small bubble of gas had collected in a Durham's tube. After fourteen 

 days the gas occupied about 1/20 of the Durham's tube. 



10 per cent. Witte Peptone -f 1 per cent. Lactose. Acid appeared on 

 the third day and gas on the fifth day. Final volume of gas as above. 



10 per cent. Witte Peptone + 1 per cent. Saccharose. Acid and gas 

 appeared on the fifth day. Volume of gas as above. 



10 per cent. Witte Peptone + 1 per cent. Mannite. Acid and gas 

 appeared on the third day. Volume of gas was about three times as 

 large as in the cases of the other sugars. 



Uschinsky^s Solution. No acid and no gas produced. The Htmus 

 showed slight alkalinity and on the fourth day commenced to bleach 

 from the bottom of the tube upwards. After fourteen days the Hquid 

 was entirely decolorised except for a depth of a few milHmetres at 

 the surface. The colour was partially restored on shaking. 



Potato Broth + 2 per cent. Glucose. After eight days incubation at 

 25° C. reaction very slightly acid (practically neutral). Three minute 

 bubbles had collected in a Durham's tube. No trace of pelHcle forma- 

 tion. 



Potato Broth + 2 per cent. Saccharose. After eight days at 25° C. 

 reaction sHghtly acid. Bubble of gas less than 0-1 c.c. No sign of 

 pellicle formation. 



Nitrate Bouillon. Growth wa more vigorous than in bouillon 



