118 Experiments on the Development of 



I now refer to the culminating point that Dr. Pigott alone has 

 the "good fortune" to discriminate so decidedly — that the note 

 markings on Podura are " spurious," and an optical illusion caused 

 by the obhque crossing of " rouleaus of beads " on opposite sides of 

 the scale. We know how this has been doubted, and I can now 

 refer to scales torn in all manner of ways, to ribs twisted round, to 

 scales treated with reagents, or seen where blotches of dried-up 

 gum have partly encroached upon the markings. We have scales 

 shocked to bits by Leyden discharges, and finally my friend Mr. 

 J. Beck has taken the pains to show to numbers of persons the 

 curious influx and efflux of moisture caused by breathing on the 

 scale, the evaporation proving directly to the sight not only that 

 the markings are real longitudinal ribbings, but as elevations exist- 

 ing mostly, if not entirely, on one side of the scale. As such proofs 

 are quite ineffectual with Dr. Pigott, who in the face of them all 

 still insists upon claiming a credence upon which his aberration is 

 based, I may say that I know not one microscopist of any note who 

 has investigated the subject that believes in him. If such a rara 

 avis is to be found, then I must withdraw this remark, and invite 

 him to come forward in a discussion that is futile with Dr. Pigott, 

 who, without some such direct testimony, cannot secure belief in 

 his creed by mere repetitions only of the same thing. I do not 

 offer this as a defiant challenge, but for a temperate argument 

 with one willing to accept and not suppress the truth. I believe, 

 as I always have done, in the form of the Podura ribbings, and 

 when such sentences are applied as a consequence of disputing the 

 bead illusion and maintaining the rib structure, that "■ common 

 sense at once revolts against accepting this appearance as even a 

 rough approximation to the truth," those whose investigations 

 have given them a right to hold a different opinion must necessarily 

 object to such dictation, and feel disposed to controvert theories 

 forced upon them in this style. 



VI. — Experiments on the Development of Bacteria in Organic 

 Infusions. By C. C. Pode, M.B., Demonstrator to the Begins 

 Professor of Medicine, and E. Bay Lankester, M.A., Fellow 

 and Lecturer of Exeter College. 



The following passage from Dr. Charlton Bastian's ' Beginnings 

 of Life'* induced us to make experiments similar to those men- 

 tioned in it, with the view of testing the correctness of Dr. Bastian's 

 conclusion as to matter of fact : — 



" On the other hand, the labours of very many experimenters 

 * Vol. i. p. 429. 



