1916] FAULL—CHONDROMYCES THAXTERI 229 
in every dimension of the fructification, variations in the branching 
of the stem, and in the number and size of the cysts and their 
appendages. Compare, for example, figs. 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, and ro. 
Many species might easily be based on a series of mounts made 
from a single culture. There is no doubt, of course, that these 
are simple fluctuating variations of very wide range. It is also 
almost certain, although not demonstrated, that many of these 
are due to environment; the local differences of food supply and 
moisture on the substrata on which they grow cannot be inconsider- 
able; but this does not explain all. 
The life history was followed carefully throughout in its main 
features, and was found to conform closely to the account given 
y THAxTER for C. crocatus. Confirmation is given also of the 
fact that the contents of the rods are characterized by deeply 
Staining masses, especially just before and during the resting stage, 
one to three or four being readily demonstrable. Losin differen- 
tiates them especially well in the cystophores, where the imbedded 
rods, stained deep pink, stand out in striking contrast to the yellow- 
ish translucent matrix. This stain also brings out the uneven dis- 
tribution of the rods in the cystophore; often there is a thin outer 
- zone almost free from them, and, too, they are much more abundant 
toward the base than elsewhere, gradually diminishing in number 
toward the apex. The contents of the cysts stain deeply; the 
envelope remains unstained, chitinous yellow in appearance, show- 
ing for the cysts at all events that the color is not restricted to the 
rods, as stated by Baur. 
Many attempts were made to secure pure cultures, and a 
variety of media was employed. The only one that yielded toler- 
able results was the natural substratum of the organism. More- 
over, even on this it was impossible to secure good results if the 
cysts alone were planted. There was always an admixture in 
flourishing cultures. What relation the impurities bore to the 
Chondromyces I did not determine. It may be a case of succession 
of floras, in which the ground must.first be prepared for the Myxo- 
bacterium. So far as I have been able to learn, the same feature is 
true of other species that have been cultivated. Prvoy (3) has 
recently investigated this feature of Chondromyces crocatus, and 
