234 RELATIONSHIPS OF THE COCCACE^ 



nitrate reducers, in abeyance. If further investigation 

 shows that the latter form is a common one in nature it 

 can then be given a specific name. 



The type of the nitrate-reducing sarcinae does not appear 

 to have been hitherto recognized in the literature. The 

 German systematists rarely observe the nitrate reaction, 

 and Dyar lists only two sarcinae, neither of them reducers. 

 We therefore suggest for this type the name Sarcina citrea, 

 which emphasizes the parallelism between this form and 

 the corresponding Micrococcus citreus. 



2. S. CITREA. (n. sp.) A saprophytic or semi-parasitic 

 coccus, found most commonly in earth, water, and air, 

 frequently also on the surfaces of the animal body. Occurs 

 under favorable conditions in packets. Generally decolorizes 

 by Gram. Good to very heavy surface growth, of yellow 

 color. Reaction in dextrose broth faintly acid, in lactose 

 broth alkalin or faintly acid. Gelatin slowly liquefied. 

 Nitrates reduced to nitrites, or ammonia. 



The third important type of the sarcinae is distinguished 

 by its failure to liquefy gelatin or to reduce nitrates. 

 Thirty-eight of our one hundred and thirty-seven strains 

 fall under this head. The only other differences, of pos- 

 sible importance, between this type and S. flava appear in 

 surface growth and in acid formation. In surface growth 

 the non-liquefying forms are somewhat less vigorous than 

 the liquefiers; and the former group includes less actively 

 fermenting strains than the latter. Of our thirty-eight 

 cultures only two produced an acidity over .004 normal 



