FUNGI

are flowerle plants devoid of chlorophyll, and therefore of nece it y leading either a parasitic ora saproph ytic (living upon dead plants) mode of life. They are usually divided into four main groups, the Schizomycetes or ‘Fi ion F.,’ the Myxomy cetes or ‘Slime F.,’ the Phycomycetes or ‘Alga-like ae and the Eumycetes or higher f., each of which is in turn again subdivided. The Schizomycetes include the various bacill and bacteria, and play an import a nt part determining the balance of terrestrial <7 6. They are minute unicellular or filamen to us forms, often rodlike, and in many cases Po e one or mor cilia, Many are the cause of disease as in cholera and_ phthysis, whils' others give rise to fermentation (e.g. the vinegar and lactic acid bacilli, anc to the putrefaction and decay of anima and vegetable substan ces. They occu! throughout the atm osphere and it and are usually only killed by water, rigid sterilization. They multipl y rapid by binary fi ion under favorabl ly conditions and by hard-wa lled resting spores in adverse circums tances. (Mycetophilidoe), minute flies, the larve burrow in fungi or in decay in of which vegetation.