NOTES ON SOME PARASITIC PROTISTS. 125 
seen that the constriction, which at one period almost severed 
the rod into two daughter rods, is slowly disappearing (fig. 
11). The granules at this period are very distinct and 
numerous, but I have never succeeded in convincing myself 
that any streaming movements were taking place, on account 
of. the active movements of the organism. It is probable, 
however, that such granule-streaming does occur, as in B. 
biitschlii, where Schaudinn was able to watch it with great 
precision. Ag the constriction disappears, the granules begin 
to rearrange themselves in the cell, but so slowly that their 
movements cannot be noticed whilst the organism as a whole 
remains motile. At the end of some hours, the granules are 
seen to be disposed in a somewhat irregular spiral (figs. 2 and 
13). This spiral is quite distinctly visible in the living organ- 
ism. It reminds one of the figures given by Swellengrebel 
of B. maximus buccalis. As in this case, the spiral 
appears to be formed of chromatin, the chromidia having 
rearranged themselves in this form. 
I do not know how long the organism remains in this con- 
dition, but it is probably for several hours. At the end of 
this time, small, clear areas can be seen at either end of the 
spiral (fig. 4). These are the spore rudiments, and at first 
they look like vacuoles. It can be seen in the stained pre- 
parations that they are formed by the concentration of the 
chromatin at these spots (fig. 14). These chromatic areas 
increase in size (figs. 5, 15), and as they do so the intermediate 
part of the spiral begins to break down (figs. 14, 15). When 
a later stage 1s reached, the spores appear as dense, ovoid 
masses of chromatin, and the intermediate chromatin breaks 
up into fine granules (fig. 16). After this, a clear area makes 
its appearance round the spore (fig. 6). This is the first 
appearance of the spore membrane. Its presence is easily 
seen in the living organism, and is strikingly displayed in 
Giemsa preparations: for the spores, which have hitherto 
been coloured red, now appear deep blue (fig. 17). The spore 
membrane gradually grows hard and resistant, and as its 
induration increases, it stains less and less (fig. 18). Finally, 
