THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 359 



Unfortunately, just as I was proceeding to examine 

 the contents microscopically, nearly all the fluid was 

 lost, including the filamentous-looking masses. Exami- 

 nation of a few drops of the fluid which remained 

 showed a very large number of plastide-particles and 

 'Bacteria. 



'Experiment 4. A closed flask containing an infusion 

 of turnip was opened seven days after it had been 

 hermetically sealed. 



The solution itself was much clouded, and its surface 

 was covered by a thick gelatinous pellicle. 



On microscopical examination of the fluid it was 

 found to contain a multitude of plastide-particles and 

 very active Bacteria, The thick gelatinous pellicle 

 was also made up of an aggregation of these in the 

 usual transparent mucoid material. In very many situ- 

 ations this uniform pellicle was undergoing a process 

 of heterogenetic organisation^ such as will be more fully 

 described hereafter. 



Experiment 5. A flask containing a very strong infu- 

 sion of turnip was opened fifteen days after it had been 

 hermetically sealed. 



The solution itself was very cloudy, and there was on 

 its surface a thick coriaceous sort of pellicle marked by 

 more closely-set aggregations or islets of denser growth. 



On microscopical examination the fluid was found to 

 contain a multitude of plastide-particles and very active 

 Bacteria. The Bacteria were almost more active than any 

 I had before seen, and there were many different kinds. 



