ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 365 



Fungi in Juniper-berries.* — Herr A. Nestler finds the mycele of a 

 fungus almost universally present in the so-called "berries" of the 

 juniper, not in the year in which they are formed, but in the following 

 year, and in the second year, in which they ripen. Experiments on 

 infection seemed to show that the change in colour from green to the 

 black or blue-black colour of the ripe berries was due to the action 

 of the fungus. The exact nature of the fungus was not determined ; 

 but the incipient formation of spores resembling those of Aspergillus 

 was observed ; and there is probably more than one species. 



Association of Alga and Fungus in Lichens.f — From observations 

 made largely on hanging-drop cultures of Ramalina reticulata, Prof. 

 G. J. Peirce sees reasons to doubt the current commensalism theory of 

 the association of the algal and fungal constituents of lichens. 



It is demonstrated, by both cultures and microtome sections, that 

 the hyphse and gonids are in the most intimate contact ; the hyphse 

 develope branches which may merely clasp the gonidial cells, or may 

 penetrato them as definite haustoria. This clasping or penetration 

 stimulates the gonids to internal cell-divisions in the effort to form 

 individual cells free from hyphal investment. The haustoria consume 

 the protoplasmic contents of the gonidial cells which they have entered, 

 leaving only the empty cell-wall. It is evident, therefore, that the 

 fungus is fed by the alga ; and there is no evidence that the gonids 

 develope more luxuriantly in connection with the hyphae than they 

 would elsewhere ; while the fungus portion of every lichen is absolutely 

 dependent upon the gonids for all of its non-nitrogenous food. 



The author further states that the algal element of Eamalina, Usnea, 

 and Sphserophorus, is Cystococcus Jiumicola, and that the central body 

 of the gonidial cells is a nucleus, not a pyrenoid. 



Spores of Lichens. J — Sig. A. Jatta suggests a classification of 

 Lichens into two primary groups Homolicheni, in which the gonids are 

 variously disseminated, and Heterolicheni, in which they are stratified 

 in the thallus. The Homolicheni comprise the two groups Byssacei 

 and Collemacei ; the Heterolichenes eleven families, viz. the Rama- 

 linacei, Cladoniacei, Sphseophoracei, Parmeliacei, Umbilicariacei, Endo- 

 carpacei, Lecanoracei, Lecideacei, Graphidacei, Caliacei, and Verru- 

 cariacei. A table is given showing the constancy or otherwise, in the 

 different families, of characters derived from the spores. 



Rickia, a New Genus of Laboulbeniaceae, and some New Species. 

 — Under the name Rickia Wasmannii g. et sp. n., Dr. F. Cavara§ describes 

 an obligatory parasitic fungus found on an ant, Myrmica Isevinodis. It 

 is of a remarkably coriaceous rigid consistency, resembling one of the 

 lower animals. The diagnosis of the genus, which appears to furnish 

 a connecting link between the Laboulbenieae and the Peyritschielleae, 

 is thus given : — Receptaculum stipitatum, clavatum, asymmetricum, 

 parenchymatico-contextum, duabus appendicum lateralium seriebus con- 

 stitutum ; antheridia simplicia, unicellularia, supra appendices inserta, 

 ab hisque annulo scleroso discreta ; antherozoidia endogena ; perithecia 



* Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., xvii. (1899) pp. 320-5 (1 pi.), 

 t Proc. California Acad. Sci., i. (1899) pp. 206-40 (1 pi.); Amer. Nat. xxxiv. 

 (1900) pp. 245-53. J Nuov. Giom. Bot. Ital., vi. (1899) pp. 493-515 (1 pi.). 

 § Malpighia, viii. (1899) pp. 173-88 (1 pi.). 



