BACTERIOLOGY OF THE OYSTER. 33 



solution was used with the hope that it would cut the mucus more 

 readily, but later the salt solution was found just as effective. The 

 shaking appeared to be the important feature. 



It was found that a great deal of shaking was necessary to break 

 up the clumps of bacteria and separate them from the mucus. If 

 not thoroughly shaken the resulting plates would be found to contain 

 large areas of confluent colonies which rendered counting impossible. 

 Every bit of mucus would be found to be a nucleus around which 

 would be a large confluent ring of colonies. After a thorough shaking, 

 however, the flakes of mucus would in nearly all cases remain sterile 

 and the bacteria would be found in well separated colonies evenly 

 distributed in the medium. 



