Miscellaneous. 343 



sequently the number of tentacles becomes doubled. These bend 

 together over the clavate extremity, and are then employed, instead 

 of the thin end of the body, in adhering to the cavity of the shelter- 

 ing Medusa. The thin extremity then acquires a mouth, and may 

 be recognized as a stomachal peduncle, which is employed, as above 

 indicated, in obtaining nourishment. The morphological nature of 

 this proboscis becomes still more distinct when, after the lapse of 

 some little time, an annular fold makes its appearance immediately 

 under the tentacles, which is recognizable from its form, and from 

 the formation in it of (eight) otolithic capsules, as the first indication 

 of the future bell. Simultaneously with the otoUthic capsules, four 

 rudimentary tentacles make their appearance between the four ten- 

 tacles. The Medusa remains in this stage of development for a long 

 time. The bell gradually becomes more freely developed, and at 

 last, by the reduction and entire disappearance of the stomachal 

 peduncle, becomes the most essential part of the Medusa, after it 

 has left its previous dwelling-place in the bell of the Turritopsis. 

 The bell nevertheless retains for some time its earlier lobed form and 

 unequal tentacles. 



"With regard to the general character of the Medusan fauna of 

 Charleston, the author thinks that, besides its continental relations 

 to that of Grand Manan, Boston, and Long Island Sound, it has 

 also an unmistakeable (climatic) analogy with the Mediterranean 

 forms, and a partial identity (perhaps caused by the Gulf Stream) 

 with the species of the south of England. — Wiegmann's Archiv, 

 1860, Bericht, p. 169. 



On Infusorial Animalcules * living without free Oxygen gas and 

 causing Fermentation. By L. Pasteur. 



The author commences by calling attention to the varied nature of 

 the products of lactic fermentation. Lactic acid, a gum, mannite, 

 butyric acid, alcohol, carbonic acid, and hydrogen make their appear- 

 ance simultaneously or successively in very variable and perfectly 

 capricious proportions. The author has found that the vegetable 

 ferment which converts sugar into lactic acid is different from that 

 or those (for there are two of them) which cause the production of 

 the gummy matter, and that the latter do not produce lactic acid. 

 He has also ascertained that these different vegetable ferments, if 

 very pure, cannot give origin to butyric acid. There is consequently 

 a })cculiar butyric ferment ; and the author's present memoir relates 

 to the origin of butyric acid in the lactic fermentation. 



Having observed what he calls Infusoria in the liquids, he directed 

 his attention to the removal or prevention of their appearance, be- 

 lieving that they fed upon the butyric vegetable ferment. But being 



* The author must be considered to use the term " Infusorial animal- 

 cules " in Ehrenberg's sense, as it is pretty evident that the organisms 

 referred to are vegetable VibrionidcB, and not of animal nature. This must 

 be borne in mind in reading the following abstract of Pasteur's observa- 

 tions. Even with this deduction, they are still very important. — Ed. Ann. 



