146 
Ohservations on Mucor Mucedo, 
fiMonthly Microscopical 
L Journal, Sept.l, 1869. 
way. The granular spores, though partially separated from one 
head, are still adherent, and have enlarged ; two of the most out- 
side germinated on the sixth day ; no further change on the 
eighteenth day. The whole of the spores in the riper head had 
germinated in twenty-four hours, and in forty-eight hours the 
appearance was that of a diminutive mop-head with tags reaching 
to the handle ; the mycelium soon crept beyond the edge of a 
f-cover, and on the sixth day had numerous ripe heads at the edge 
of the thin covering-glass. The large threads were filled with 
fine granular matter, a little denser at the growing points and with- 
out ampullae or enlargements (n). 
The circulation of the granular contents was long watched in 
several of these- threads' heads, and seen for the first time on the 
seventh day; the granules had the appearance of the swarming 
spores seen in the ends of Closterium, &c. ; some of the threads 
were divided by septa at this period, others contained a loose, fine 
network of threads. 
At this time the yeast-cells in the slide set aside had much 
degenerated ; those which retained their usual condition had formed 
short chains, the central cell, much the largest, being filled with 
fine granules or nuclei ; the jointed bacteria remained as at first, 
and the small granules showed no active molecular Brownonian 
movements ; evidently the conditions were not favourable for deve- 
lopment. Several other experiments were made. 
In this article sundry points have been noticed : the growth of 
the spores outside the columella and within cellular areolae between 
the outer and inner membrane ; the outer membrane, formed 
originally with hexagonal areas, the inner by the membrane which 
constitutes the wall of the " core," and these united at one part of 
their course ; communication of the germinal matter in the core 
with that in the stem and rootlets ; its circulation in the mycelium ; 
sundry markings or corrugations on the ordinary ripe spores ; the 
appearance of larger cells in some heads, from the further develop- 
ment of the germinal matter in the "core;" the non-conversion of 
the grumous contents of unripe spores or heads into haderia, or 
any other form of life, when placed in a medium in which the ripe 
spores readily germinated ; the question opened as to the origin of 
certain free schizonematous or bacteroid bodies, their gradual deve- 
lopment in parts, and of the larger cells in the media used for the 
regerminating experiments, &c. 
In this paper all allusion to experiments on animal tissues or 
fluids has been expressly avoided. 
Being fully aware of the doubts that may be raised in all similar 
experiments, by enclosing unsuspected floating spores or living 
germinal matter in such a state of division as to dely proof by the 
highest powers in the hands of microscopists ; hence just such pre- 
