THE CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA 47 



2. THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE SCHIZOMYCETES IN 

 FAMILIES 

 In the present work, the . sytsem of classification as first 

 proposed by Migula in Engler and Prantl's Die Naturlichen 

 Pflanzenfamilien, I i a, 1896, has been adopted, with minor modi- 

 fications. The synopsis of the families is given in the following 

 table, and of the genera under the separate family headings. 



schizomycetes 

 Bacteria 

 Minute, one-celled, chlorophyl-free, colorless, , rarely violet-red 

 or green colored, organisms, which divide in one, two, or three 

 directions of space, and are thus united into filamentous, flat, or 

 cubical aggregates. Filamentous species often surrounded by 

 a common sheath. Capsule or sheath composed in the main of 

 proteid matter. The cell plasma generally homogeneous without 

 a nucleus. Sexual reproduction absent. In many species rest- 

 ing bodies are produced either endospores or gonidia. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE FAMILIES 

 I. Cells unbranched, or show only a false branching in Cladothrix. 



A. Cells in their free condition globular, becoming slightly elongated 



before division. Cell division in one, two, or three directions of 

 space. CoccACEAE, p. 55. 



B. Cells short or long, cylindrical, straight, curved, or spiral. Without a 



sheath surrounding the chains of individuals ; motile or non-motile ; 

 endospores present or absent. • Bacteriaceae, p. 117. 



C. Cells surrounded by a sheath and arranged in elongated filaments. 



Chlamydobacteriaceae, p. 369. 



D. Cells not surrounded by a sheath, arranged in elongated filaments, 



and motile by means of an undulating membrane. 



Beggiatoaceae, p. 37g. 

 II. Cells short or long, cylindrical or filaments, often clavate ; cuneate or irreg- 

 ular in form. Without endospores, but with the formation of gonidia- 

 like bodies due to the segmentation of the cells. Without flagella. 

 Division at right angles to the axis of a rod or filament. Filaments 

 not surrounded by a sheath as in Clamydobacteriaceae. With true 

 dichotomous branching. Mycobacteriaceae, p. 349. 



