io The Mycetozoa, and 



were believed to be a species of fungus. In some cases 

 they can only be discovered by the microscope ; and, 

 haunting the interstices of dead wood, they are rarely 

 visible. Such are the plasmodia of Lycogala, Arcyria, and 

 of some species of Trichia. 



Here, again, a phenomenon of encystment sometimes 

 occurs. During drought the plasmodium may become 

 quite dry and hard without losing vitality. In this stage 

 the hard plasmodium bears the name of sclerotium. That 

 of the Badhamia is quite horny, and orange-red in colour. 

 On being wetted it will resume its old plasmodium form, 

 and move as before. 



This conversion from an active into a passive condition 

 of the plasmodium seems to be brought about by two con- 

 ditions the want of moisture and the want of food. This 

 last fact is illustrated by a case in which a plasmodium 

 placed on wet cotton wool, but without food, was found to 

 turn into a sclerotium. The capacity for rest and awaken- 

 ing is thus a protective one, and enables the organism to 

 tide over a time of famine or drought. It is certainly a 

 better plan even than the Lydian practice of playing games 

 to forget hunger. 



From the plasmodium stage, whether broken into by a 

 sclerotium condition or not, the organism, after a time, 

 prepares for its next effort. It seeks some spot, on the 

 surface of dead wood or leaves, sometimes a rather exposed 

 and elevated position, at other times a sheltered one, and 

 there forms sporangia, so that what before was a mass of 

 more or less amorphous protoplasm has differentiated itself 



