PARTI.] Hyaline Oval Bodies Resembling '' Spores^ 15 



off from their filaments among the mycelium ; a few, however, were perfect, 

 consequently easily recognised. Some of these fallen masses were germinating 

 (Plate IX, Fig. xxvii, 2), and presented, as nearly as anything possibly could, the 

 appearance of the mass of spores figured by Professor Hallier as a " cholera-cyst " 

 in process of germination (Plate I, 11). 



As the preparation was dry, a few of the cysts were transferred to another slide 

 and water added, upon which many of the capsules of the sporangia gradually 

 ruptured, and the spores escaped (Plate IX, Fig. xxv), a bare columella and the 

 ruin of the capsule alone remaining. 



As it was not advisable to expose the preparation during the experiment, the various 

 stages in the development of these cysts were not followed, in order to ascertain 

 which some spores and cysts were sown on the juice of various fruits, boiled and unboiled, 

 and on pieces of cheese. They rapidly germinated, and in those preparations which 

 were sown in cells on the slide without a covering glass produced precisely similar 

 cysts to those sown ; when, however, covering glasses were used, the fructification 

 was not so perfect. For example, a glass slide was taken, and two semi-circles of asphalt 

 varnish were brushed on it, one being rather larger than the other, so that the 

 ends of one half-circle might overlap the other, but not so closely as not to permit 

 the entrance and exit of air, as may be learnt from the figure (Plate X, xxix). 

 When nearly dry, a minute quantity of growing fluid, consisting of a solution of grape- 

 sugar and phosphate of ammonia, was placed in the centre, upon which a few spores 

 were sown, a thin covering glass being placed over it, which adhered to the semi- 

 dried varnish. The slide was placed under a bell-glass, kept damp by being lined 

 with some moist blotting-paper, at an average temperature of 90° Fahr. 



In the course of six hours a clear oil-like spot appeared in the spores, and 

 on the second day they were germinating rapidly (Plate X, Fig. xxviii, 1). On the 

 third day the field was crowded with mycelial filaments (Fig. xxviii, 2), and on the 

 seventh day a filament which had crept beyond the droplet of fluid into the free 

 space between it and the varnish bore a distinct sporangium (Fig. xxviii, 3). Separate 

 spores, however, were not distinguishable in the cyst. 



These illustrations will, I think, be sufficient evidence to show — (1) that the 

 cholera-cysts figured by Professor Hallier are not always obtainable from choleraic 

 discharges, (2) not confined to cholera, (3) nor even to diseased conditions of the 

 intestine, but (4) may be cultivated from the stool of perfectly healthy persons. 



The experiments instituted to test the observation as to the inoculability of 

 rice plants have as yet not been satisfactory, consequently no conclusions have 

 been arrived at on the matter. 



SECTION II.—" SPORES." 



It is by no means so easy to explain what the yellowish more or less oval 

 hyaline bodies are which Professor Hallier calls " spores " (i)ide Plate I, 3) ; such 



