1896.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 177 



only in small quantities. It is highly probable from cer- 

 tain opinions and results herein cited, that there is a close 

 resemblance between the flagella of bacteria and those of 

 the swarm spores. 



The observatioils of Stocklin and Bunge that several 

 bacilli are sometimes included within the same capsule 

 from the periphery of which flagella radiate is exceedingly 

 interesting. This phenomenon is explained in two ways, 

 one that the surrounding plasma of two or more bacilli 

 runs together, thus enclosing the bacilli in a common cap- 

 sule, and the other is that the variable number of bacilli 

 included within the same capsule is due to the multipli- 

 cation of the organism within the capsule. These obser- 

 vations strengthen the hypothesis that bacteria have nu- 

 clei and surrounding plasma. 



EDITORIAL. 



Passing Slides Through a Custom House. — I have today 

 spent three half-hours at the Georg-etown Custom House 

 getting a lot of slides which Mr. Hornell had sent me. If 

 any private concern did business in the style in which Dor- 

 sey Claggett, Collector for the District of Columbia, does 

 business, that concern would go bankrupt in a very short 

 time. But I must say first that not an unpleasant word 

 was uttered on either side, though I claim some virtue for 

 not freeing my mind regarding some of the absurd things 

 that ti'anspired. 



My slides were invoiced at ^2.10.0 and as "natural his- 

 tory specimens." I was politely offered a seat while a hunt 

 was made for the box, which was not found till after some 

 search. An employee cut open the package and threw 

 away the string and seal without saying to me " by your 

 leave." I think the law permits me to open the package 

 for their inspection. 



" Oh ! mounted slides," said the clerk who forthwith made 

 out a bill for 



