120 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES 
times. They are variable but often fixed and permanent. 
They are so manifold in character that cultures show a great 
variety of appearances and two strains identical at first may 
later through these changes become quite different in appear- 
ance. De Bewmann and Gougerot state in their monograph 
on page 1383 (Les Sporotrichoses) that they have observed 
strains of Sporotrichum beurimanni (notably of the race 
alpha), through pleomorphic change, become identical with 
Sporotrichum schenckti. Others have become identical with 
Sporotrichum jeanselmet ov have even simulated Sporotrichum 
gouyeroti. Again certain strains have reverted to short forms 
comparable to yeast or blastomycetes. My own work also con- 
firms in general the above observations of de Beurmann and 
Gougerot. I have noted veast-like forms in certain strains 
and a great many changes in pigmentation and other morpho- 
logical appearances, some of which are fluctuating, others are 
apparently permanent. 
In the light, then, of the above facts it seems to me that dis- 
tinctions of these sporotricha based on pigmentation become 
valueless because of these easy and striking fluctuations. So, 
too, surface convolutions and forms simulating the cone of a 
voleano are factors which change under conditions favoring 
pleomorphism. 
Under microscopic aspect of cultures on slides and in hang- 
ing drop in their outline de Beurmann and Gougerot consider 
especially spore formation. They have repeatedly stated that 
in cultures of Sporotrichum schenckii the spores are rare or 
even at times absent on the filaments. This is true, at least, of 
certain cultures that develop little or no pigment. As a dif- 
ferentiating feature, however, this point is not necessarily 
significant. I have noted other strains, especially the non- 
pigmented ones, which show this same characteristic. This 
dearth of spores in the strain of Sporotrichum schenckii which 
they examined was, I think, no doubt due to a pleomorphic 
change. It is important to note the fact, which they have not 
referred to in their publications, that in the original articles 
of both Schenck and Hektoen and Perkins several photo- 
graphs of unstained organisms show the mycelium with spores 
attached to the sides and ends in great abundance. I think 
