354 Veranus Alva Moore 



although many series of preparations have been carefully 

 made to discover the cause. I believe, however, that the fail- 

 ure is due to the technique rather than to a variation in the 

 filaments. The diameter of the flagella is appreciably the 

 same at the distal end as at the union with the body of the 

 germ. Occasionally, however, the distal portion appears to 

 be very slightly tapering. 



Among the free flagella is sometimes observed what appears 

 to be a strand or bunch of twisted filaments, varying from one 

 to two II. in width, which presents a uniformly, deeply stained 

 appearance. At one or both ends the filaments are separated 

 from each other, giving the appearance of the frayed end of a 

 cord. In preparations from old cultures several flagella which 

 radiate from the same point are frequently observed. They 

 present the appearance of the filaments of a single germ. 

 These are occasionally observed in preparations from young 

 cultures. 



Frequently a flagellum will present throughout the greater 

 part of its length a very close, wavy condition. There are in 

 addition to these many other anomalous appearances which 

 have as yet no clearly defined significance. 



In the stud}' and comparison of the flagella, I have em- 

 ployed cultures varying in age from sixteen hours to three 

 days. There appeared to be no difference in the character of 

 the flagella on the bacteria in cultures of these ages, but in 

 preparations made from those of a longer growth there was 

 usually a much larger number of broken and detached fila- 

 ments. 



The exact arrangement of the flagella on the bodj- of the 

 germ is hard to determine. In stained preparations the or- 

 ganisms are dried to the cover-glass with the filaments in such 

 positions that they seem to radiate from the outer edges of the 

 germs as they appear in the stained specimen. Frequently 

 they all appear to come from a very small arc on the circum- 

 ference. This is undoubtedly due to our inability to detect 

 the filaments as thej' cross the body of the germ. The fla- 

 gella are given off from both extremities, and at variable 

 points along the intervening portion of the body of the germ. 



