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many in quality and inconceivably many as to quantity. 
The whole cannot be quoted, but the following will suffice. 
“The water was first examined with a power of 50 
diameters only, for the purpose of getting a general know- 
ledge of its contents. Afterwards magnifying powers 
varying from 120 to 1,600 diameters were employed. 
“ During the first observations, few living organisms were 
noticed ; but, as it afterwards proved, the germs of plant 
and animal life (probably in a dormant condition) were 
present. 
“1st. Fungoid Matter. — Spores or sporidise 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 employed 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. 
“ On the third day a number of ciliated zoospores were 
observed moving freely among the sporidise. 
“Some of this formed a very interesting object, with a 
high power, and the greater portion exhibited what is called 
pitted structure. The larger particles 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. 
“Along with these reticulated objects were fragments of 
vegetation, resembling in structure hay and straw and hay 
seeds, and some extremely thin and transparent tissue 
showing no structure. 
