
242 THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE 
and the necks of the flasks were hermetically sealed during this 
process, and after the expulsion of all air. One flask, which had 
been prepared six months previously, and whose vacuum was 
ascertained to be scarcely if at all impaired, was found, when 
opened, to contain a fluid which still had a very slightly acid 
reaction. The numerous bluish-white flakes which it contained 
presented almost the same appearance as at first. Amongst these 
was found a minute whitish mass, about a line in diameter, made 
up of very delicate mycelial filaments, partly twisted around a 
cotton fibre. Near the centre of the mass was a large, brown, 
flagon-like body, about 53,” in diameter, from all parts of the 
surface of which issued the mycelial filaments whose ramifications 
went to constitute the rest of the mass. One or two smaller 
growths were also found attached to some of the flakes, as well 
as several distinct spore-like bodies of different sizes—mostly of a 
brownish colour, and having thick walls with granular contents. 
A group of fine spore-like bodies was also found ; these being 
larger (;},” in diameter) and colourless, rather than brown. 
Their nature was altogether uncertain.” 
‘A solution with an alkaline reaction which had been prepared 
at the same time, and opened after a similar interval, revealed no 
trace of spore-like bodies, or of organisms; and two other solu- 
tions containing sodic silicate and ammonic bichromate, whose 
periods of preparation and examination were also similar, were 
similarly unproductive. All four solutions had been prepared 
with distilled water taken from the same bottle.” 
Preparation of the Solutions. 
All my recent work with these and other closely 
related solutions tends to confirm this fact of the 
great importance of the reaction of the fluids 
employed. Those which are very slightly acid 
have been found to be more productive than other 
are in part precipitated, by the process of ebullition, in the form of 
bluish-white, cloud-like flakes, which show, on examination with high 
powers of the microscope, a very minutely granular composition. 
