44 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Feb 



longing to the order of the myxomycetes. In the first 

 stage of their life-history, the myxomycetes are mobile 

 organisms, differing so strongly from any state of any 

 vegetable that it was proposed by De Bary to place them 

 among amoeboid animal organisms. In this stage, where 

 one would expect thallusof hyphae, a mobile plasmodium 

 is found, which in habit of life greatly resembles animal 

 organisms. In appearance it is alimy or creamy, and con- 

 sists of numerous anastomosing, net-like channels, through 

 which there is conducted with more or less rapidity a cur- 

 rent of protoplasmic matter containing many foreign 

 bodies, such as particles of granules, diatoms, spores of 

 fungi, etc. These channels are not bounded by any defi- 

 nite membrane, and the direction is frequently changed, 

 probably for the purpose of gathering nourishment. 

 Where one or more individuals are situated near each 

 other, plasmodia occasionally unite. These mobile masses 

 ultimately, usually after undergoing division, are trans- 

 ormed into motionless fruits. 



Aspergillus Oryzae. 



J. E- SIEBEL, PH. D. DIRECTOR OF THE 2YMOTECHNIC IN 

 STITUTE, CHICAGO. 



With Frontispiece, 



It is with much interest that I have perused the highly 

 interesting and comprehensive researches relating to the 

 Biology of "Aspergillus Oryzae" by Mr. Golden in the De- 

 cember issue of this magazine, and in this connection I 

 cannot forbear to call attention to some similar investi- 

 gations which were published by me some nine years ago, 

 and which evidently were not known to Mr. Golden. 



The result of my investigations were published in the 

 "Original Communications of the Zymotechnic Institute" 

 Vol. 2 page 1 (issue of May 15, 1891) and from the ac- 

 companying drawing (Fig. 1) showing mycelium, conidia 



