ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 227 



Schiz ophy ta. 

 Schizomycetes. 



Colouring-matter of Red Torulse.* — A. C. Chapman investigated 

 the colouring-matter of red torulae. Surface-colonies on agar were scraped 

 off, ground with sand and extracted with various solvents. Chloroform 

 and carbon-bisulphide dissolved the colouring-matter, forming deep-red 

 solutions. Chloroform solutions when warmed and exposed to light 

 became colourless ; this suggested that the substance might be related 

 to carrotene, but it was found that the absorption spectra were different. 

 The solubility of the substance in light petroleum would indicate that 

 it does not belong to the xanthophyll group. 



Blepharospora cambivora.f — L. Petri transferred from carrot- 

 cultures mycelium to the following solution: — Nitrate of calcium, 0*4; 

 sulphate of magnesium, 0*1.5; acid phosphate of potassium, 0'15; 

 chloride of potassium, 0'6 ; water, 1000. Ciliated zoosporangia formed 

 in this medium, and by cultivating in the humus of chestnuts zoo- 

 sporangia and Gogonia were formed. Inoculation experiments on healthy 

 plants were successful. ' 



Bacillus phenologenes. t— A. Berthelot gives a description of this 

 organism, of which the following is a summary : — The most important 

 feature of this organism is its presumed relationship to sclerosis of 

 arteries, as was suggested in 1910 by Metchnikoff. It apparently derives 

 its subsistence from tyrosin, which it splits up, forming phenol. Its 

 principal characters are as follows : — It is a short plump bacillus, the 

 elements of which are longer on solid than in liquid media. It is 

 ciliated and only faintly motile. It does not form spores, and is stained 

 by Gram's method. It is a potential anaerobe, and its optimum tem- 

 perature is 37°. The author gives numerous appearances of cultures 

 made in different media. In media containing tyrosin it grows well, 

 with formation of phenol. Its pathogenic action on laboratory animals 

 is nil. 



Bacillus citroniaculans.§ — Ethel Doidge has ascertained that the 

 citrus " spot " disease, which attacks not only the fruit but also the leaf 

 and branch of the tree, is due to a bacterium. Bacillus citromaculans. 

 The organism apparently invades the tree through wounds, though 

 stomatal infection cannot be altogether excluded. 



* Biochem. Journ., s. (1916) pp. 548-50. 



t Atti. R. Accad. Lincei, xxvi. (1917) pp. 297-9, 



X Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xxxii. (1918) pp. 17-36. 



§ Ann. Applied Biol., iii. (1917) pp. 53-81 (10 pis.). 



