Classification of the Schizomycetes. 73 



myces. The word "Torula," like "Vibrio," is very much 

 misused by non-botanists. The true Torula belongs to the 

 Hyphomycetes. 



F. Neelsen ("Neuere Ansichten iiber die Systematik 

 der Spaltpilze," Biolog. Cenlralblatt, iii., 1883, p. 545) gives 

 a review of the present state of the question, and confirms 

 Zopf's conclusions. 



The most exhaustive account of the new views is con- 

 tained in Zopf s " Spaltpilze," in Schenk's " Encyclopadie 

 der Naturwissenschaften," 1883. We will first give a con- 

 densed account of his previous observations. Taking first 

 Cladothrix dichotoma, he found that the pseudo-dichotomous 

 threads resolve themselves by transverse division into short 

 cylindrical cells, which round themselves off by degrees 

 and then represent Micrococci. These Zopf compares to 

 gonidia. From these, after separation, short rods (Bacteria) 

 are evolved, which again, by continuous growth in length 

 and the formation of transverse septa, produce Bacillus- 

 like threads, which ultimately resemble Leptothrix para- 

 sitica, Kiitzing. These threads, like the Cladothrix, are 

 surrounded by a delicate gelatinous sheath which takes up 

 iron compounds from the water in which it lives, and thus 

 puts on the appearance of L. ochracea, Kiitzing. From this 

 the typical Cladothrix is produced again by false branching. 

 Moreover, small fragments break off and swim about, and, 

 under certain circumstances, bend into a spiral ; these spiral 

 forms are always articulated, and their elements are either 

 rod or coccus like. The height and breadth of the spirals 

 are very variable, as well as the thickness of the threads, and 

 some forms resemble Vibrio, others Spirillum and Spiro- 

 chaeta. The zoogloea form, of even more than one kind, is 

 also met with in Cladothrix. 



Zopf also investigated Beggiatoa alba, Vaucher, which, 



