1 68 GENERAL BIOLOGY OF MICRO-ORGANISMS 



designate a variety of a species, such use being only temporary 

 until a decision can be reached as to the relationship of the new 

 organism under consideration, as for example Bacillus coli com- 

 munior. Subsequently if the new organism proves to be Bacillus 

 coli, the variety name communior may. be dropped. On the other 

 hand if it proves to be distinct from Bacillus coli the old variety 

 name should then become the specific name resulting in Bacillus 

 communior. The specific name is a single and very definite term 

 and as a rule it is either the firstpublished name given to the organ- 

 ism or some emended adaptation of it, in proper grammatical 

 agreement with the generic term employed. Thus in' designating 

 the parasite of syphilis; one may employ the term, Spirochaeta 

 pallida classing it in the genus Spirochaeta (Ehrenberg), but if 

 the proposed genus Treponema (Schaudinn) be adopted, the name 

 becomes Treponema pallidum. . 



