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in shape, about half as broad as long, and varying in length from 1 to 2 μ, its breadth remaining tolerably uniform. The best specimens may be found in milk cultures, the smallest in beef-infusion-peptone-gelatine cultures. As the bacterium lengthens, a slight constriction about its middle portion becomes noticeable which soon broadens and deepens, giving rise just before complete division takes place, to the figure 8 form. This form becomes more especially noticeable in preparations stained with methyl-violet, which leaves a very minute central portion of the protoplasm unstained. The germ does not liquify gelatine, and when examined on the hollow slide, it is found to be motionless. With regard to spore-formation, our experiments have not been attended by very positive results, although everything else seems to indicate that they do form spores. The settlement of this question will form one of the subjects of future investigations.