ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 391 



medals. During this time, however, lie continued his botanical studies, 

 and began to mount slides for the Microscope. The desire to find a satis- 

 factory medium for the preservation of the form of microscopic algae 

 brought Gomont into contact with the botanists of the Paris Museum, 

 and the friendship began between Gomont. and Bornet which lasted till 

 Gomont's death. At Bornet's suggestion Gomont began his study of the 

 Nostocacees homocystees, which resulted in the very valuable monograph 

 on the subject published by him in 1893. During the years of the pre- 

 paration of that important work, and afterwards, he published several 

 other smaller papers on other members of the Cyanophycese, which 

 have been valuable additions to botanical literature. Besides these, 

 Gomont published a study of Actinococcus, and a contribution to the 

 algological flora of the Haute-Auvergne. His last paper was a pre- 

 liminary note of the marine alga3 of Lorraine, and he was engaged on a 

 larger work ou the subject when death overtook him, at the age of 

 seventy-one, at Rouen, in 1909. His old friend describes his work thus : 

 " A little slow, never hurrying himself, persevering in his researches, 

 Gomont was never satisfied until he had obtained from a specimen 

 everything that could be extracted from it." His work also gives the 

 impression of unfailing care and accuracy. 



Mazza, A. — Saggio di Algologia oceanica. (Marine algulogy.) 



[A continuation.] Nuov. Notar., xxii. (1911) pp. 7-25. 



De Toni, G. B. — II R. Comitato talassografico e gli studi della Flora dei nostri 

 mari. (The Royal Thalassograpliic Committee and the study of the flora of 

 our seas.) 



[On the work which will be undertaken by this new committee, formed 

 under the auspices of the Italian Government.] Tom. cit., pp. 26-30. 



Fungi. 

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



Ergot on Oats.* — C. W. "Warburton records the finding of ergot 

 {Claviceps purpurea) on oats at Ames, in Iowa. The parasite is common 

 on oats in Algeria, but has not previously been reported in the United 

 States. The sclerotia were all formed near the base of the panicle and 

 were most common on the Burt oat, a variety which is entirely resistant 

 to smut. 



New Host for Claviceps. f — Herbert Groh found the sclerotia of 

 Claviceps on spikes of Carex among hay from near Quebec, Canada. 

 The sedge was identified as G. stellulata var. angustata. The sclerotia 

 are similar in appearance to those found on grasses, but all attempts to 

 induce germination failed. There seems to be no previous record of 

 Claviceps on a sedge. 



Study of Hypocrea rufa.| — It has been proved that the conidia of 

 this Pyrenomycete are sometimes green and sometimes yellow, according 



* Bot. Gaz., li. (1911) p. 64 (1 fig.). 



t Mycologia, iii. (1911) pp. 37-8 (1 fig.). 



j Jahrb. Wiss. Bot., xlviii. (1910) pp. 591-631. 



