440 The Botanical Gazette. [December, 
any accurate and thorough description that will enable a later 
student to positively identify the species. 
The bacterial flora of any particular habitat may be consid. _ 
ered in two ways—qualitatively or quantitatively. Oftenthere — 
is a wide diversity as to the number of different forms that are ; 
present in any particular location, but as a rule the majority 
of individual organisms belong within the limits of compara- 
tively few species. This is more especially true with reference 
to a region in which the adventive or introduced forms are 
comparatively few, and with the great bulk of oceanic waters 
these conditions prevail. Where they receive the drainage of 
large river systems or are subject to sewage contamination of ; 
large cities, the number of species as well as the number of : 
individual germs is usually increased, but these conditions do | 
4 
not obtain with reference to the locality investigated this 4 
season. = 
The location of Woods Holl is so favorable with respect f 
the possibility of the introduction of adventive forms eon 4 
seems highly probable that the conditions here are yee ; 
normal and may fairly represent the condition of marine : 
terial life in general. ; a 
While the water and mud masses of this region a 
bacterial life in considerable abundance, no great Maa 
species is to be noted. The four, or five forms that be 
described in detail comprise by far the larger phe pple 
living germs that are to be found. In numerous Inst® a 
the cultures contained not more than two or three eae ha 
very rarely did any single culture show more than fou 
different forms. pre- 
This peculiarity is quite noteworthy, mall 
dominating species of any particular ha 
as in this case. ne te haf- 
Bacillus limicola, sp. nov.—This species 15 seams we 
acteristic indigenous inhabitant of the ocean bo oon 
Atlantic near Woods Holl. Almost every test tha 
from the mud revealed the presence of this bare 
In regard to its morphological characters, 1 ie a 
but it has a variability of form and size that ¥ oe rapidly 
able. If a cover glass preparation be made, OM). © 
developing agar culture, such wide diversi : 
themselves,that one can scarcely avoid t 
the culture has become contaminated, even 
as the number of 
bitat is rarely 5° § 
pacillus, 
though 
