92 STUDIES ON FEltMENTATIOX. 



the atmospliere, and consequently exposed to tlie i)articles of 

 dust floating therein, we shall frequently observe, mixed with 

 the fruiting hyphse of the fungoid growth, 5^east and mycoderma 

 vini and toruke, or even bacteria and lactic ferment. Thus we 

 shall he led to believe, in all good faith, that we have under our 

 eyes examples of the changes of spores of fungoid growth into 

 cells of ferment, or proofs of the conversion of bacteria or lactic 

 ferment into the same cells. 



Causes of error of this nature have induced some German 

 naturalists to believe that they have succeeded in proving, 

 beyond the possibility of doubt, that a number of fungoid 

 growths may produce alcoholic ferment, and that they have 

 clearly demonstrated that spores of these fungi maj'' become 

 transformed into yeast. In 1856 M. Bail, and, about the same 

 time, Berkeley, and, later on, H. Hoffmann and Hallier, have 

 successively entertained these views, which were introduced into 

 science by M. Turpin. We have combated them since the year 

 1861.* Since that period they have lost rather than gained 

 ground abroad, in spite of the growing favour bestowed on the 

 Darwinian system. One of the mycologists who enjoy the most 

 legitimate authority beyond the Rhine, M. de Bary, has arrived, 

 as we have, at absolutely negative results. 



A simple perusal of what has been written in favour of the 

 transformations which we are discussing causes us to entertain 

 the gravest doubts as to the correctness of results which are 

 quoted as decisive. We need only give one example, which we 

 extract from a paper by M. 11. Hoffmann. 



*' In some cases," this author writes, " and under favourable 

 circumstances, I have been able to see the ferment produce fila- 

 ments, both small specimens that could be examined immediately 

 under the microscope, and also large specimens, and I have 

 recognized, amongst other varieties, pcniciUium glaucum, asco- 

 pliora mucedo, ascophora elegans, and periconia hyalina, sometimes 

 isolated, sometimes intermixed. This result is most easily to be 

 * BuUdin dc la Societc PliilomatJrique. 



