750 Transactions of the Society. 



camera extended to a certain length, and also when used with a 

 Zeiss amplifier at the same extension; but at distances much 

 beyond, the want of the collar adjustment became rather apparent ; 

 hence the enlargement of the objects was chiefly kept within very 

 moderate dimensions, yet sufficient for illustration. I may add, 

 that I believe they are within easy reach of the engraver's power, 

 which apparently was not the case with the photographs of the 

 minute organisms found in rainwater-ice and hail, described in 

 a previous paper.* 



The examination was proceeded with in the following manner : 

 a portion of fresh excrement of the goat was broken up with a 

 clean glass rod in some freshly distilled water, and immediately 

 covered with a glass plate. Examined by the Microscope at the 

 time, numerous bacteria of various sizes, and a very few rods of, 

 apparently, hay-bacillus were present, besides large quantities of 

 partially digested vegetable matter suspended in a somewhat 

 glutinous material, most likely mucus from the intestinal canal. 

 The mixture was set aside in the room without artificial heat, the 

 ordinary temperature ranging between 60° and 70° F., and fully 

 exposed to daylight. On the third day when examined there was 

 a thin scum extending over a large part of the surface. This scum 

 contained numerous bacteria, some small rods, and here and there 

 in the thinner parts of the pellicle some bright oval bodies with 

 sharp outlines, whilst free from the scum were many larger and 

 longer rods, both straight, and with a well-marked wide curvature, 

 not angular ; these rods were in active movement ; there were also 

 a few spores with outgrowths, these had the spore ends nearly 

 globular, and the outgrowth or extension very pale and slightly 

 granular, with a gentle curve. These spores had a slight forward 

 and backward movement, also a peculiar swaying motion from side 

 to side, the spore end forming the fulcrum. I believe these must 

 be regarded as the spores of the Spirillum, which appeared later. 

 A portion of the upper part of the fluid was removed, and freshly 

 distilled and reboiled water added both to it, and to replace the 

 quantity removed from the original portion. Both vessels, being 

 covered, were placed in a dark box, and kept at a pretty constant 

 temperature of 90° F. for twelve hours, when a fresh examination 

 was made. Both vessels now teemed with infusoria and bacteria, 

 the fluids had become more or less ropy, especially the original one. 

 The organisms in the diluted portion consisted chiefly of active rods 

 of very variable lengths, many having the wide curvature. No 

 spores were visible. The original portion which had been diluted 

 was divided into three layers, the surface one being of a dark 

 greenish-brown colour, the second very much paler, whilst the 

 lowest consisted of the debris of the food. 



* Ante, p. 449. 



