BOOKS AND CURRENT LITERATURE 251 



The Role of Secondary Pigments. — In a preliminary paper A. V. 

 Richter 1 announces some important conclusions as to the part played by 

 coloring matters other than chlorophyll in the process of photosynthesis. 

 He states that the interpretation of Engelmann as to the role of second- 

 ary pigments is incorrect. These pigments, as, for instance, phycoery- 

 thrin, play no active part in photosynthesis. Apparently he includes 

 in this statement the possible action of such substances in affecting the 

 region of the spectrum in which absorption takes place. In short then, 

 according to Richter, the energy of absorption and assimilation are not 

 equal in such plants as the red, brown, and blue green algae. When 

 the complete results have been published it will no doubt be easier to 

 follow his conclusions. — H. M. R. 



1 Richter, A. V., Farbe unci Assimilation. Ber. d. Deutschen Bot. Gesell. 

 Bd. 30: 280-290, 1912. 



