CLASSIFICATION 



completely surrounded by the plasmodiuin, which may very quickly completely 

 digest them. When fixed and stained, there are seen to be very many small 

 nuclei scattered through the substance of the plasmodium. 



As described in the last chapter, the plasmodium may be made to creep upon 

 a glass slide down which a fine stream of water is running, and in this way may 

 be examined under the microscope. The protoplasmic mass then clearly shows 

 the homogeneous hyaloplasm in which are imbedded granules of various kinds, 

 including yellow pigment-corpuscles. The granular plasm exhibits very active 

 streaming movements, while extensions of the plasmodiuin, or pseudopodia, are 

 pushed out, and thus the plasmodium is spread out over the wet slide, and forms 

 a complicated network of slimy yellow threads. 



FIG. 49. A, plasmodiuin of a Slime-mould upon a piece of decayed wood (x2). 

 B, two sp >res of Trichia favoginea, I, in optical section. C, a spore with the 

 contents escaping. D, ciliated swarm-spore, showing the flagellum, /, and the 

 nucleus, n. E, two amoeboid swarm-spores. F, part of a plasmodium which 

 has spread over a glass slide (X 60). G, a portion of F more highly magnified. 



Sclerotia. When the plasmodium is partly deprived of water, it 

 may retract the pseudopodia and form a cakelike body, which is 

 usually composed of closely packed roundish masses of protoplasm, 

 which have a more or less definite membrane sometimes of cellulose. 

 These masses (sclerotia) have a waxy or horny texture, and may 

 remain dormant for several months without losing their vitality, 

 resuming the form of active plasmodia if provided with water. 



Spores. Usually, at the close of the vegetative period, the plas- 

 modium retracts the pseudopodia and becomes divided into small 

 bodies of definite form, known as Sporocysts. These may be merely 



