ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 349 



Taenioma.* — E. I. Thompson gives an account of the morphology of 

 Tseiiioma macrourum Thuret. She describes shortly the external appear- 

 ance, and then deals with the growth and development of the vegetative 

 plant. So far, the only known organs of reproduction of this genus 

 have been the tetraspores, but the author here describes the antheridia 

 and cystocarps in detail. In her opinion, the structure of the cysto- 

 carps is such as to warrant the removal of the genus from Delesseriaceas, 

 where it has hitherto been placed, into Rhodomelaceae. 



Polymorphism of Algae. f — R. Chodat publishes a book on this 

 snbject, which he calls *'A Critical and Experimental Study on the 

 Polymorphism of Algae." In the first chapter he treats very fully of 

 the meaning he attaches to the word polymorphism, and of the views 

 held by other botanists. He then describes his methods of work, and 

 in the second chapter deals with many instances of polymorphism proved 

 by himself. Other points in connection with polymorphism are then 

 discussed, and are followed by a short summary, in which the author 

 states his conviction that there are certainly algas which, by their extreme 

 variability, merit the title of polymorphous, if by that term it be under- 

 stood that a plant can present itself under several aspects without 

 changing its nature. The polymorphism of algae is of the same order 

 as that of many other plants ; some are more plastic than others. But 

 in a general sense the author does not admit the thesis formulated by 

 Hansgirg in his memoir, which is here criticised in detail. Experiments 

 tend to show that while there are certain algae which are polymorphous, 

 there are others which show a remarkable stability. Finally, the author 

 protests against the general use of the term " theory of polymorphism." 



Klingstedt, F. W. — Tiber den Einfluss farbigen Lichtes auf die Farbung le- 

 bender Oscillarien. (On the influence of coloured light on the coloration of 

 living Oscillarieae.) 



Ofv. Finsk. Vetensk.-Soc. Forliandl, li. (1909) No. 1. 

 See also Bot. Zeit., lxviii. (1910) p. 51. 



Fungi. 



(By A. Loerain Smith, F.L.S.) 



Experiments with Mucorini.} — L. Raybaud tested the influence of 

 sudden illumination on the mycelium of Mucorini, and found that a 

 quick movement of the protoplasm followed the light ; a change to the 

 dark causes the protoplasm to retreat, and these changes are indicated 

 by swellings and lines on the hyphae. In a second experiment he tested 

 the results of osmotic pressure ; mycelium was grown in a concentrated 

 drop of orange juice, surrounded by a circle of water tinted with methyl 

 blue ; as soon as the hyphae reached the latter liquid, swellings were 

 formed which often burst, especially in Phycomyces nitens. 



He also applied atmospheric tests, and found that, whereas in a moist 

 atmosphere all the spores were about equal, in a dry air they varied in 

 size and form, and were sometimes covered with granulations. 



* Bull. Torrey Bot, Club, xxxvii. (1910) pp. 97-106 (2 pis.). 



t Etude critique et experimentale sur le Polymorphisrne des Algues. Geneve : 

 Georg et Cie. (1909) 167 pp. (21 pis.). 



X C.R. Soc. Biol. Paris, lxvi. (1909) pp. 887-9, 1118-21. 



