BRIEFER ARTICLES. 
OBSERVATIONS UPON THE FEEDING PLASMODIA OF 
FULIGO SEPTICA. 
(WITH ONE FIGURE) 
ALTHOUGH considerable attention has been paid to the plasmodia 
of the Mycetozoa, especially by the German botanists (De Bary, Zopf, 
Sachs), little work has been done upon the feeding habits of these 
interesting protoplasmic masses. In a valuable contribution to the life 
history of these organisms, Lister’ sets forth in a painstaking way the 
manner in which the plasmodium of Badhamia utricularis behaves 
when actively feeding. Various substances were tried by way of exper- 
iment. Pieces of Agaricus campestris, A. melleus, A. rubescens, A. fas- 
cicularis, Boletus flavus, and Cortictum puteanum were used, but none of 
these fungi seemed so desirable a food as Stereum hirsutum, which was 
devoured without leaving anyresidue. Agaricus fascicularis was found 
in these experiments to be a particularly unwholesome morsel. The 
digestion by the active plasmodium of the fungi above mentioned pre- 
supposes the presence of a nitrogenous ferment, namely a proteo- 
hydrolytic one. As far as Lister’s observations show, starch seems to 
be refused by the moving plasmodium, contradicting the idea of the 
presence of a diastatic ferment. The following observations upon the 
plasmodium of Fudigo septica is in part a contribution to the life his- 
tory of plasmodia in general. 
While searching for Mycetozoa in the wooded valley incorporated 
as part of Woodlands cemetery, West Philadelphia, a luxuriant growth 
of Pleurotus sapidus was found upon some partially decayed logs, which 
had been piled up in a loose manner preparatory to burning. In 
removing several large pieces of this fungus, small patches of yellow 
plasmodium were found upon the lamellar surface of the fully expanded 
pilei. These protoplasmic masses had moved out from the rotten log 
where they were seen in the crevices, and had invaded the gill surface 
* Notes on the plasmodium of Badhamia utricularis and Brefeldia maxima. Ann. 
Bot. 2 : 1-23. 1888. : 
198, [MARCH 

