ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 381 



other species of the genus, and corresponds with a species from West- 

 phalia, determined by Bresadola as G. stramineum. Berkley's name, 

 though inapt, has priority. 



Observations on Pure Cultures of some Ascomycetes a: d 

 Basidiomycetes.* — F. T. Brooks gives an account of culture work 

 done in connexion with the larger fungi, and describes results obtained 

 by himself in cultures of spores on wood. He grew Ghlorospleniviu 

 seruginosum on ash-wood, and obtained mycelium which on blocks of 

 ash and oak turned the wood entirely green. The chief factor in the 

 colouring of the wood is the accumulation of lumps of a green amor- 

 phous substance in the different elements, especially in the cells of the 

 medullary rays. 



Daldinia concentrica was also grown from spores, and the conidial 

 form was produced. In these cultures the hyphas of the fungus penetrated 

 the wood, being especially abundant in the vessels. 



Several Basidiomycetes were cultivated, and sporophores were 

 obtained in Hydnum coralloides and Phurotus ostreatus. A culture was 

 also made of Ozonium, from which sporophores were formed, probably 

 Goprinus radians. The spores of the Goprinus were then grown and 

 the mycelium of Ozonium was reproduced. 



Nitrogenous Food of Filamentous Fungi.f — Widar Brenner has 

 made an exhaustive study of this subject, chiefly with Aspergillus niger. 

 He gives an historical sketch of the literature of the subject, and draws 

 attention to the work done on the assimilation of free nitrogen, which he 

 considers to be absolutely proved and of very great economic importance. 

 The author's own researches are then given at great length as to the 

 use made of compound nitrogen as nitrates, nitrites, and various other 

 salts and acids, inorganic and organic. The results are given in tabular 

 form. Among nitrogen compounds, nitrites can be used by certain 

 fungi, but they must have the power of converting the substance into 

 a nitrate. For those forms that flourish in acid media, nitrite is a 

 poison, while for those that grow best in alkaline solutions, nitrite may 

 be a valuable source of nitrogen supply. To the acid series belong the 

 Perisporiaceas, under which is included Aspergillus niger ; to the 

 alkaline series, the Mucorineas. 



British Mycology.! — An account is published of the work under- 

 taken during the year 11)13 by the British Mycological Society. A 

 spring foray was held at Dolgelly in the end of May, and over 260 

 species were collected or observed by the members during their ex- 

 cursions in the district. Two very rare species were met with : Gordy- 

 ceps myrmecophila, once before collected at Bristol, and again in North 



* Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, iv. 2 (1914) pp. 239-48. 

 t Centralbl. Bakt., xl. (1914) pp. 555-647 (1 pi.), 

 t Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, iv. 2 (1914) pp. 199-235. 



