107 
matter, and begin in the order in which they appeared most 
abundant. 
1st. Fungoid matter . — Spores or sporidiae appeared in numbers, 
and, to ascertain as nearly as possible the numerical proportion 
of these minute bodies in a single drop of the fluid, the contents 
of the bottle were well shaken, and then one drop was taken up 
with a pipette ; this was spread out by compression to a circle 
half an inch in diameter. A magnifying power was then em- 
ployed, which gave a field of view of an area exactly 100th of an 
inch in diameter, and it was found that more than 100 spores 
were contained in this space ; consequently the average number 
of spores in a single drop would be 250,000. These spores varied 
from 10,000th to 50,000th of an inch in diameter. The peculiar 
molecular motion in the spores was observable for a short time, 
until they settled on to the bottom of the glass plate ; they then 
became motionless. 
The mycelium of these minute fungi were similar to that of rust 
or mildew fas it is commonly named), such as is found on straw 
or decaying vegetation. 
"When the bottle had remained for thirty-six hours in a room 
at a temperature of 60°, the quantity of fungi had visibly in- 
creased, and the delicate mycelial thread-like roots had completely 
entangled the fibrous objects contained in the bottle, and formed 
them into a mass. 
On the third day a number of ciliated zoospores were observed 
moving freely amongst the sporidiae. I could not detect any 
great variety of fungi in the contents of the bottle, but I cannot 
presume to say that all the visible spores belonged to one species ; 
and as there are more than 2000 different kinds of fungi, it is pos- 
sible that spores of other species might be present, but not under 
conditions favorable for their development. Some very pretty 
chain-like threads of Conidia were visible in some of the examina- 
tions. 
The next in quantity is vegetable tissue. Some of this formed 
a very interesting object, with a high power, and the greater por- 
tion exhibited what is called pitted structure. The larger parti- 
cles of this had evidently been partially burnt, and quite brown 
in colour, and were from coniferous plants, showing with great 
distinctness the broad marginal bands surrounding the pits ; 
others had reticulations small in diameter. They reminded me 
of perforated particles so abundant in some kinds of coal. 
The brown or charred objects were probably particles of par- 
tially burnt wood used in lighting fires. 
Along 'with these reticulated objects were fragments of vegeta- 
tion, resembling in structure hay and straw and hay seeds, and 
some extremely thin and transparent tissue showing no structure. 
These were doubtless some portions of weather-worn vegetation. 
A few hairs of leaves of plants and fibres, similar in appearance 
to flax, were seen, and, as might have been expected in this city, 
cotton filaments, some white, others coloured, were numerous, 
