Badhamia utricularis and Brefeldia maxi 7 na. 1 1 
the same results, showing that the consumption of coarse 
fibres, though it does take place, is very slow. 
The effect of Stereum on the plasmodium is very different 
from that produced when it feeds upon agarics ; there is com- 
paratively little residue of slimy matter, and the flow is easy 
and free. With agarics, on the other hand, a heavy grey 
mucous deposit is left upon the glass, and the veins of the 
retreating plasmodium are rugged and loaded with particles, 
the streaming being confined to a narrow central channel. 
This condition, however, is frequently observed under other 
circumstances when the plasmodium becomes sluggish. 
Scrapings from the hymenial surface of Stereum are much 
more rapidly dissolved than the shaggy fibres ; twelve hours 
immersion will often be sufficient to cause the whole to dis- 
appear with the exception of the coarse hyphae. 
The most remarkable activity of plasmodium that I ever 
witnessed was caused by the supply of this pabulum. 
Plasmodium crawling over pieces of Stereum had been kept 
for several days in a glass box, and at the time of my ob- 
servation it had spread over both sides of the chamber and 
was slowly retreating in a widely-meshed network of narrow 
veins upon the clean glass. To a point on the upper edge 
of the network I applied a thin pulp, about the consistence 
of cream, of the scraped hymenial surface mixed with water. 
There was at first, as I have not unfrequently seen, a shrinking 
backwards of the margin of the network, as if notice of the 
presence of a food-supply had been sent off to the more 
distant parts ; then came on a quick stream, and in a quarter 
of an hour the whole side was pouring up its plasmodium 
with astonishing rapidity. The wide meshwork was not 
sufficient to conduct the abundant supply, and fresh veins 
started off in all directions, cutting up the broad meshes ; at 
one time the current along them all was so precipitate that 
I endeavoured in vain to follow the course of the particles ; 
they rushed across the field of the microscope at a speed 
that was truly amazing. While the streaming was at its full 
height, I noticed a brown lump about the size of a large 
