CLASSIFICATION OF THE BACTERIA. 55 



the anatomical reproductive elements of plants, 

 whether it is used cold or boiling. 



As to the other chemical characters praised 

 during recent years, we will content ourselves 

 with mentioning concentrated acetic acid, which 

 causes all animal tissues to become pale, whilst it 

 is without action on bacteria (Luckonvsky) ; io- 

 dine, and sulphuric acid (Letzerich), etc. 



Hematoxyline (Luckonvsky) and fuschine (Hoff- 

 mann) color the bacteria deeply. One ought, then, 

 no longer to give to the bacteria, as do some 

 recent authors, the names of microscopic ani- 

 malcules, — infusoria, microzoa, etc., and other 

 expressions without precision, or consecrating an 

 error. 



Let us add that some naturalists of high re- 

 pute, Hackel for example, have created for these 

 minute beings, monera, protoplasts, flagellata, dia- 

 toms, etc., an intermediary kingdom between the 

 animal and vegetable, — the Protista. 



Place of the Bacteria in the Vegetable Series. — 

 The vegetable nature of the bacteria once estab- 

 lished, it remains now to determine to what class 

 of vegetables they belong. 



Are they, algae or are they fungi ? This is the 

 question which divides the naturalists. 



It is true that it is to-day very difficult to find 

 a characteristic of these two classes of vegetables, 

 both having, in a general manner, identical forms, 

 similar reproductive apparatus, etc. ; and, if it is 

 impossible to confound a Basidiomycete with a 

 Floridese, for example, it is not the same when 



