ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
81 
zooglceic form in three other species — Bacterium osteophyllum and 
B. Balbiani spp. nn,, and B. parasiticum. 
Red Bacillus from River Water.* — Prof. A. Lustig describes a 
bacillus which secretes a red pigment and liquefies gelatin. In plate- 
cultivations of 8 per cent, pepton-gelatin, colonies developed in 48 hours. 
In the centre of the colonies the pigment is first observed. In less than 
three days the pigment had spread to the periphery, and in 4-6 days the 
whole of the gelatin had become liquid, forming a sticky mass. Culti- 
vations were also made in agar, potato, blood-serum, bouillon, and milk, 
in all of which the characteristic raspberry-red pigment was developed. 
No development took place in distilled water, although the vitality of 
the organism remained, as was shown by inoculating gelatin after the 
water had remained unclouded for months. 
The bacillus grew with the formation of pigment in the absence of 
oxygen and in presence of hydrogen. 
The individual elements are 1* 8-3*0 p long, and about half that in 
breadth. 
Endogenous spore-formation was never observed, nor could such 
spores be demonstrated by any method of staining, and reproduction was 
evidently by arthrospores. The pigment was extracted from potato culti- 
vations by scraping off the growth, rubbing it up with a few drops of 
strong acetic acid, and then treating it with ether until all the pigment 
was dissolved. The ether was then allowed to evaporate spontaneously. 
The pigment thus obtained was of a violet-red colour, insoluble in 
water, but soluble in acetic acid, alcohol, benzin, ether, and chloroform, 
and was of course altered or discharged by the various decolorizing 
reagents. 
This bacillus, which was obtained from river water in Piedmont, is 
believed by the author to be distinct from the red bacillus of Eisenberg, 
which is aerobic and is said to be endosporous. The red bacillus 
of Frank is endosporous, and that of Fraeukel developes a red-yellow 
pigment. 
New Marine Schizomycete, Streblothricia Bornetii-t — This new 
genus of Bacteriaceae, described by M. L. Guignard, forms small colour- 
less zoogloese about the size of a pin’s head, and having a characteristic 
shape. They are found in clefts of sea-washed rocks ; in their external 
aspect they bear some resemblance to Nostocaceae, and in their manner 
of growth to the Rivulariaceae, but possess neither spores nor heterocysts. 
Within the zoogloea-jelly are radiating filaments about 1 p thick, which 
at first are straight and closely packed, but afterwards become inter- 
twined, forming a confused mass. These filaments are made up of 
approximately isodiametric members with finely granular contents in- 
closed in a pretty thick membrane. 
Non-formation of Pigment by Bacillus of Blue Milk.t — Bike 
Bacillus prodigiosus and pyocyaneus, which, when cultivated under un- 
favourable circumstances, lose their power of forming their specific 
* Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., viii. (1890) pp. 33-40. 
t Comptes Rendus Soc. Biol., xliii. (1890) p. 383. Cf. Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. 
Parasitenk., viii. (1890) p. 465. 
% Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., viii. (1890) pp. 455-7. 
1891. 
G 
