NOTES AND NEWS. 191 



Onygcna is a curious genus of fungi embracing some half a dozen 

 species, remarkable for their growth on feathers, hair, horn, hoofs, 

 etc. Prof. H. Marshall Ward has recently described the life history 

 of O. equina, a horn-destroying species. The spore-bearing organs 

 stand up into the air as club-shaped masses covered with a glistening- 

 powder. This powder proved to be spores (chlamydospores), which 

 could only be induced to germinate after being digested in gastric 

 juice, thus showing that in nature they require to pass through the 

 animal's stomach. The author was able to trace the complete life 

 history, from the artificial infection of thin shavings of horn, around 

 to the production of spores again. 



An unusual instance of abnormal coloration was observed in the 

 common Hepatka acuta of the Northern States on May 17th, 1898, at 

 Oneida, New York, by Mr. H. D. House and myself. A single plant 

 had taken upon itself variegated leaves, mottled green and white, 

 but similar in other respects to those of other plants close by. 

 Albino or partially albino leaves occur regularly or irregularly in 

 many plants, and so may not be looked upon as particularly remark- 

 able; but in this case the etiolation had been carried still further, and 

 portions of the leaves had attained a delicate pink color. The tex- 

 ture of the tinted portions was noticeably different from that of the 

 green areas, but rather nearer like that of the white spots from which 

 in every case the colored portions arose. The leaves were those of 

 the present year. They retained their color well in drying, and to- 

 gether with the bluish flowers may be seen in the National Herbarium. 

 So far as observed there was no unusual condition of environment, 

 since the plant grew with other normal specimens along the border of 

 a rather cold wood. The variegated leaf feature is not, perhaps, re- 

 markable; but the presence of coloration in the leaves, especially in 

 radical leaves, which are not closely associated with the floral envelope, 

 seems to me most unusual. — W. R. Maxon, U. S. National Museum, 

 Washington, D. C. 



. . . BO OK REVIEW S . . . 



Papers Presented at the Boston Meeting under the Auspices of 

 THE LiNN^AN Fern Chapter. Printed for the Linnsean Fern 

 Chapter. Binghamton, N. Y. : W. N. Clute & Co. Price, 25c. 



The Linnsean Fern Chapter "was founded in 1893 for the study 



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members. As many of the members reside within easy distance of 



Boston, it was arranged to have a personal meeting of the Chapter 



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