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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
on their own axis in various directions, and slowly change their 
place. They rarely dart rapidly through the fluid, or exhibit a 
serpentine motion. But when the vibrio is formed, the fila- 
ment is pushed forward with greater or less velocity, at first 
presenting a wriggling, but, as it becomes longer, a more decided 
serpentine motion. A distinct flexure can be se'en at certain 
points in the filaments, between the groups of molecular chains 
or filaments. Dumas says he has seen the molecules and bac- 
teria uniting endways, a statement the correctness of which 
Pouchet doubts.* On two occasions, however, I was fortunate 
enough to see this occurrence as represented in the accompany- 
ing figures. (See figs. 3 and 4.) The reason this actual union 
Fig. 3. — a, Position of two short bacteria, h, The lower bacterium was seen to 
sink down and unite itself to the upper, and then the two turned round in unison, 
as in 0 and d. 
Fig. 4. — a. Position of two bacteria, h, Altered position of the same, c, The 
lower one adhering to the upper, d, The two turning together to e. f, Vital 
flexure at the middle ; and g, four flexures, when I saw the vibrio so formed move 
forward out of the field of the microscope. 800 diameters linear.. 
has so seldom been seen is, 1st, That it only occurs at certain 
periods of development, and can only be followed by the eye, 
when the movements are slow ; 2nd, That amidst such a multi- 
tude of minute moving bodies it requires a long time before 
two can be found exactly on one plane, and can be brought so 
accurately into focus that they can be watched for a sufficient 
time. Having, however, in the two instances described and 
figured, actually seen the coalescence, I can have no doubt what- 
ever that such is the true method of elongation. 
It may frequently be observed, on again examining the fluid 
in which these bodies have been moving actively, that they are 
all motionless, evidently dead. This occurs at various periods. 
They now rapidly disintegrate, and thus a second molecular 
mass or pellicle is produced. In this, rounded masses may be 
seen to form, which strongly refract light not unlike pus cor- 
puscles, or the colourle.ss corpuscles of the blood. These soon 
begin to move with a jerking motion dependent upon a vibratile 
rilium attached to one of their extremities — Monas lens. In a 
day or two other cilia are produced, the corpuscle enlarges, is 
nucleated, and swims through the fluid evenly. Varied forms 
Fig. 3. 
Fig. 4. 
a b c d e f g 
abed 
* “Nouvelles Experiences,” p. 115, 
