160 CUL8&IFIC1TIOS OF THE MICRO- OK,. 



In the quiescent state the fission fun^i either remain 

 isolated or aro united in threads, or in extensive da: 



massive colonies. In the latter cases the daughter cells 

 which arise l>y fission do not become separated, but remain 

 united by their gelatinous capsule; ultimately lar^o con- 

 glomerations of cells are formed which are all ui'.itod by 

 gelatinous intercellular substance. This form is termed 

 toogl&a; it is most frequent in the microoocei and 

 bacteria, but it is also observed in short bacilli and 

 spirochftte. The external form of the aoogl*ea masses 

 is >ery various: sometimes they are spherical, some- 

 times tuberous, sometimes lobate ; at times a Yery 

 peculiar tree-like branching occurs; in certain cases 

 thick cartilaginous capsules are formed. As a whole 

 the loogl&a formation is closely similar to the forma- 

 tion of gelatinous capsules in some families of alg 

 (phycochromacese) . 

 r The multiplication of the bacteria by fission takes 



pl*se us * ru k continuously in the same direction, so 

 that if the new formed cells remain attached to each 

 other, a chain (streptococcus) or a thread is formed. It 

 is only in some mierococci (mikr. tetragonus, sarcina) 

 that simultaneous or subsequent division in two or three 

 different directions may be observed, leading to the 

 formation of flat groups of four or packets of at least eisrht 

 cells ; the former are designated by Zopf by tl 

 name merismopedia, the term sarcina being reserved 

 for the latter. In the spherical bacteria the div 

 may occur in any diameter, in the rod-shaped ce - 

 the other hand only in the transverse diameter. K 

 division Aft cells increase in length ; then as a rule 

 a distinct constriction appears in the middle, and finally 

 the two halves separate at this spot. These two inde- 

 pendent individuals can either undergo further 

 mentation apart from each other, or they remain r. 

 by delicate gelatinous material and form chains and 

 pseudo-threads, the transverse division always occr. 

 in the same direction ; or lastly, they take p; 

 formation of loogliea masses, gelatinous material tvini: 

 produced in considerable quantities ; in the interior of 



