486 
Notes . 
longitudinal sections of the gametophyte. So far as I have investi- 
gated the matter, there seems to be evidence of the existence of an 
apical cell. E. C. JEFFREY. 
University of Toronto, 
May 28, 1897. 
BACTERIA WITH ASSIMILATORY PIGMENTS, FOUND 
IN THE TROPICS. — The following Bacteria, having a greenish 
colouration and showing when exposed to light a faint evolution of 
oxygen, perceptible by means of motile Spirilla or Micrococci and 
very exceptionally causing Bacterium termo to faintly re-act, were 
found in water-cultures of more or less purity developed in diffuse 
daylight at Buitenzorg: viz. a motile green Bacterium ~B. chlorinum 
(Engelmann) 1 ; a non-motile Micrococcus-form to which the pro- 
visional name of Streptococcus various 2 has previously been given ; 
two forms closely resembling Van Tieghem’s Bacillus virens and 
Bacterium viride 2 ; two green Spirilla, one resembling -Y. tenue and the 
other S. undula ; and finally a large Bacillus-form somewhat re- 
sembling the Bacillus virens of Van Tieghem. This last form occurs 
as short rods, 2-5 to 3 broad and commonly 12 to 15 /x, more rarely 
5 to 20fi long. A formation of colourless refractile endosporous 
spores is often shown. The spores are oval and 1*5 to 2 /a broad 
by 2 to 3-5 /a long. In all cases the pigment is diffused throughout 
the plasma of the bacteroid-cell, and this is especially clearly shown 
in the large Bacillus virens and Spirillu??i undula forms. 
Of the two more common red water-Bacteria, Monas okenii was 
not found in either Java or Ceylon, but Bacterium photometricum was. 
In Java B. photometricum appears to be abundant and widely dis- 
tributed. In water-cultures exposed to diffuse daylight, the Bacteria 
collect in the form of a red crust upon the walls of the cylinder. 
By removing this crust a large mass of the red Bacteria may be 
obtained ; which if the growth is of recent formation may be nearly 
pure, and, what is of more importance, almost entirely free from 
other coloured Bacteria or Confervae. If to the brownish red mass 
thus obtained alcohol is added, the resulting fluid is reddish in colour, 
turning to a dark dirty green on warming. If ether is now added 
1 Engelmann, Zur Biologie der Schizomyceten, Bot. Zeit. 1882. 
2 The Evolution of Oxygen by coloured Bacteria : Journal of the Linnean 
Society, 1897. 
3 Van Tieghem, Bull. Soc. France, XXVII, 1880, p. 174. 
