8o Synopsis of the Bacteria and Yeast Fungi. 



in the case of the Schizomycetes has attracted but little 

 notice, viz. that they are not autonomous Fungi at all, but 

 merely stages of development of species belonging to other 

 classes, finds here a numerous and active following. 



Max Reess ("Zur Naturgeschichte der Bierhefe," 1868, 

 and " Botanische Untersuchungen iiber die Alkoholgah- 

 rungspilze," 1870) is one of the most conspicuous upholders 

 of the first doctrine, and his opinions are adopted by 

 Dr. Winter. Hallier and Hoffmann had previously put 

 forward the same doctrine of pleomorphism with regard to 

 the Saccharomycetes which they held for the Schizomy- 

 cetes ; and the latter, in a treatise, " Ueber Bacterien," in 

 the Botanische Zeitung (1869, p. 305), maintained, as so 

 many others have done, that the Yeast Fungi are derived 

 from the Moulds ; Penicillium and Mucor Mucedo were 

 the most generally credited with being the source from 

 which they originated. Many other Fungi are now known 

 to have stages of growth in which they simulate the Saccha- 

 romycetes. Quite recently, however (" Botanische Unter- 

 suchungen," heft v., 1883), Oscar Brefeld has elaborated 

 a comparatively new line of investigation in this respect, 

 and, as no account of his researches has to my knowledge 

 appeared in an English dress, they may be shortly abstracted 

 here. It must be premised that it is impossible to feel 

 much confidence in the results at which he arrives, as he 

 can be convicted of gross carelessness in many parts of his 

 previous work, and the present long and tedious treatise is 

 filled ad nauseam with peevish contentious disputations 

 against De Bary and Van Tieghem and all others who differ 

 from his opinions. 



Brefeld considers that the conidia of various species of 

 Ustilaginese exactly resemble in mode of growth many of 

 the forms of the so-called Saccharomyces. It is well known 



