SYSTEMATIC AND DESCRIPTIVE. 145 



spores, i 8 2 p, in diameter, are of a round or 

 ellipsoidal form, with thick membrane and shining- 

 contents. The outer membrane-layer bursts, and 

 a middle lamella oozes out, and forms a thick 

 gelatinous envelope, while the inner layer remains 

 adherent to the plasma. Thus the spore-germi- 

 nation leads to the formation of a coccus with a 

 gelatinous envelope. The coccus then elongates 

 into a short rod-form, and the gelatinous envelope 

 becomes ellipsoidal. The rod divides into two cocci, 

 and each of these lengthens into a rod and divides. 

 By repetition of this process a chain of cocci results, 

 encased in a cylindrical or ellipsoidal envelope. The 

 chains increase in length, become twisted up, and 

 eventually fall apart into pieces of various lengths. 

 In nourishing liquids a great number of little masses 

 are formed, which adhere together, and produce 

 pseudo-parenchymatous structures. These latter 

 may join together, forming still larger agglomera- 

 tions. The masses of zooglcea are of almost a car- 

 tilaginous consistency, and admit of sections being 

 made with a razor. After a long time the envelope 

 liquefies, and the cocci are set free ; the latter 

 introduced into fresh nourishing media develop 

 new colonies. In the chains here and there some 

 of the cells become enlarged without changing 

 their form. In these cells spores originate, which, 

 when the gelatinous envelope liquefies, are set free. 

 This micro-organism occurs occasionally in 

 beet-root juice and the molasses of sugar-makers, 



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