1921] HELLER—BACTERIA 395 
contain the bacteria only should not indicate for them a subordinate 
position in another group as does the name “Schizomycetes,” 
proposed by NAcELI (23) in 1857 for a mongrel group which 
contained bacteria, sporozoa, and oscillaria, a group whose affinities 
he hesitated to suggest. The connotation of this term has always 
been “fission fungi,” and its German form “Spaltpilze” has been 
widely used. And yet BucHANAN (5) finds it entirely appropriate 
and valid and proceeds to place his Schizomycetes with the Cyano- 
phyceae. Article 51, division 4, of the Vienna rules (17) considers 
the name Schizomycetes as invalid. ‘Everyone should refuse to 
admit a name... . when the group which it designates embraces 
elements altogether incoherent, or when it becomes a permanent 
source of confusion and error.” 
We should choose for the bacterial phylum a name that will 
immediately be understood by the non-professional worker. 
Names like Phytozoidia Perty of course are objectionable. Vibrio 
Ehrenberg probably included certain infusoria as well as bacteria. 
Vibrionia Cohn did not include forms later studied by that author. 
Bacteria Cohn (8) probably included all the forms that we today 
call bacteria except Beggiatoa, and it did not include members of 
other groups. As the Committee. of the Society of American 
Bacteriologists (10) places 1880 as the date at which considerations 
of priority are to commence, we are free to choose from among these 
names. Bacteria implies no relationship to other groups. It is 
otherwise highly suitable because it is understood by laymen and 
is short and euphonious. The following was CoHNn’s conception 
of the group: ‘Die Bacterien sind chlorophyllose Zellen von 
kugeliger, oblonger oder cylindrischer, mitunter gedrehter oder 
gekriimmter Gestalt, welche ausschliesslich durch Querteilung sich 
vermehren, und entweder isoliert oder in Zellfamilien vegetieren.” 
In consideration of the fact that no relationship of the bacteria 
to other groups has been generally accepted the following phylum 
is proposed: 
Bacteria (nov. phyl.).—Simple one-celled plants that multiply 
typically by binary fission and occasionally by budding. They 
show no form of sexual multiplication. They rarely contain 
cellulose and do not contain chlorophyll or phycocyanin. 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
