A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



pact masses, which may be separate sporangia, or the whole protoplasmic 

 contents may coalesce and form an xthalium. But whether the fruiting- 

 stage consists of sporangia or aethalia, these contain an immense number of 

 spores which are eventually distributed by the wind, and when they are 

 borne to favourable situations their life-cycle recommences. 



When in the motile stages, whether as amoeboid cells or as plas- 

 modia, should the climatal conditions become unfavourable, they have 

 the power of encysting themselves and existing apparently in a state of 

 suspended animation. When their environment is again favourable they 

 resume their plastic state and motile condition. 



In illustration of the advantage to the organism of this singular 

 power the following facts are presented. 



In the early part of the year 1895 occurred a severe frost of many 

 weeks' duration. Just prior to its commencement the writer observed a 

 large mass of plasmodium of Badhamia utricularis on a decayed log in 

 Birchin Grove Wood, Herts. It was then streaming in large veins, and 

 was evidently in full vigour. Two or three days after this the frost set 

 in, and no observations were made until its cessation. The thaw com- 

 menced on a Thursday towards the end of February, and on the following 

 Sunday a visit was made to the spot to note the behaviour of the plas- 

 modium. It was found that the whole mass had become encysted when 

 the frost commenced, forming a wax-like substance, the sclerotium. In 

 this condition it had withstood the excessive cold, and in the three days 

 subsequent to the commencement of the thaw, the greater proportion 

 had resumed its plastic condition, and was again streaming in its 

 characteristic veins and fans. A small portion of the sclerotium still 

 remained unrevived, being in the highest and driest portion of the log. 

 A gathering of the plasmodium was made, which after a few weeks' 

 cultivation fruited satisfactorily. 



As a further illustration of the tenacity of life of the sclerotium- 

 stage of Badhamia utricularis, the writer may mention that he has a 

 lantern-slide of this species which was gathered in the plasmodium 

 condition in a wood in Herts in November, 1894, and was allowed 

 to encyst itself and then kept as sclerotium till November, 1896. 

 After these two years of suspended animation it was easily revived by 

 moisture and moderate warmth, when it spread itself out into its 

 characteristic forms in search of food. It was then rapidly dried by 

 artificial heat, so that its usual appearance in the creeping-stage should 

 be rendered permanent. 



Some plasmodium of Badhamia nitens was collected in a wood in Cad- 

 dington, Herts, at Christmas, 1892. It was attached to a fungus (Irpex) 

 which was growing on a decayed branch of oak. The whole gathering 

 wood, fungus, mycetozoon was frozen hard when obtained. It rapidly 

 thawed within doors and exhibited movements for several days. A short 

 time afterwards it was allowed to dry up, when it assumed the sclerotium 

 condition. In this state it existed, looking like a piece of sealing-wax, 

 until the spring of 1894. It was then placed in tepid water, and during 



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