21 



and the results are liere given for comparison with those obtained with 

 the red color of the perithecia. which are given below: Strong am- 

 monia, exposure to the Aapor, even for an iustaiit, changes the red to 

 purple; fragment still purple after 42 hours in the liquor; fluid itself 

 slightly tinged. Ca untie- soda liquor, red changed instantly to very 

 dark purple, almost black; purple after 42 hours; fluid slightly tinged. 

 CauHiivpotash liquor (strong), red changed immediately to purple; after 

 42 hours still purple; lower one-third of the licpiid reddish — i. e., much 

 more decidedly tinged than any other alkaline fluid. Sodium carbonate 

 (saturated solution), red changed at once to purple; purple after 42 

 hours, and the fluid no longer ([uite colorless. Ammonium carbonate 

 (saturated solution), red changed at once to purple — it changes even 

 in the vapor; purple after 42 hours; fluid as in the preceding — i. e., a 

 very slight departure from colorless. Chloral hydrat (saturated solu- 

 tion), no immediate change unless to become brighter red ; soon soluble; 

 after 42 hours fluid still roseate; fungus dull red. Sulphuric acid (1 

 l)er cent), no change in -12 hours; fluid colorless, fungus red. The same 

 result was obtained with 10 per cent sulphuric acid. Nitric acid (1 per 

 cent), no immediate change, and none after 42 hours; fungus still red 

 and fluid colorless. Hydrochloric acid (1 per cent), no change in 42 

 hours; fungus red, fluid colorless. Acetic acid (1 per cent), no change 

 in 42 hours; fungus still red and fluid colorless. ^Vood alcohol, dis- 

 tinctly soluble; alcohol around the red fragments of fungus colored 

 within a few minutes; after 42 hours fungus purple, fluid pale wine-red. 

 Ethyl alcohol (common, 95 per cent), color soluble; the alcohol around 

 the fungus became colored in a few minutes; after 42 hours fungus 

 purple, fluid a pale wine-red. Sulphuric ether, no immediate action, but 

 after an hour or two the ether was tinged; after 42 hours fungus pur- 

 plish, fluid pale brownish-red. Chloroform (purified), no immediate 

 change, and none after H hours; after 42 hours fungus purplish, fluid 

 pinkish-red. Benzine (purified), no change in 4.3 hours; fungus still 

 red and fluid colorless. Benzole, no change in lA hours; after 43 hours 

 fungus red to purple-red, and the fluid with a slight pinkish tinge. 

 Carbon bisulphide, no change in 43 hours; fungus still red and fluid 

 colorless. 



One test was made to determine whether the fungus would produce 

 its colors on uncooked rice in water. In 2 days a distinct purple color 

 appeared on the rice grains infested by the fungus. 



All of the above experiments relative to color production were made 

 with pure cultures of the melon fungus. 



Allusion has already been made in several places to the growth of 

 white mycelium from colored, and vice versa. It happens very fre- 

 quently that on mycelium of the same size and apparently of the same 

 age one branch will be colorless (white) and another deeply stained 

 (purple, red, blue, brown, yellow). The staiued hyphte were usually 

 quite granular, but unstained hyphae were also sometimes observed 



