422 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



On the development of the growing points of the stems of cotyledons, J. 

 Baranetzky (Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot., 8. ser., 3 (1897), No. 3-6, pp. 311-365, ph. 3). 



Histology of the cell wall, with special reference to the mode of connection 

 of cells, W. Gardiner (Proc. Boy. Soc. [London], 62 (1897), No. 380, pp. 100-112, 

 figs. 8). 



On the nature of certain pigments produced by fungi and bacteria, with 

 special reference to that produced by Bacillus solanacearum, E. F. Smith (Bot. 

 Gaz., 24 (1897), No. 3, pp. 192, 193). — Abstract of a paper read before Section G of 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Science at tbe Detroit meeting, 

 August, 1897. The dark-brown pigment produced by the potato-rot bacillus will 

 not dialyze, or very imperfectly, and is precipitated by calcium and iron compounds. 

 It is suggested as possible that the humus compounds of the soil are due to the 

 chemical action of fungi and bacteria on the carbohydrate material of animals and 

 plants, especially the latter. 



The red pigment of flowering plants, F. W. Keeble (Science Progress, n. ser., 1 

 (1897), No. 4, pp. 406-423). 



On the assimilatory energy of blue light, F. G. Kohl (Ber. deut. bot. Gesell., 15 

 (1S97), No. 7, pp. 361-366, pi. 1). 



A new method of drying succulent plants, C. Le Gendre (Bui. Soc. Bot. France, 

 44 (1897), No. 6, pp. 267, 268). 



ZOOLOGY. 



Susceptibility of spermophiles to pathogenic bacteria, A. B. 

 Kibbe ( Washington Std. Bui. 21, pp. S). — An account is given of a 

 lmniber of experiments made upon several species of ground squirrels, 

 including SpermopMlus columbianus, S. townsendi, and S. mollis, with 

 several species of bacteria, with a view to finding some germ that may 

 be used to attack these mammalian pests by taking advantage of their 

 habit of devouring their dead companions. 



Reference is made to experiments by Mereshkovsky 1 and Palmirski. 2 

 The former relates that some 150 specimens of Spermophilus died from 

 an infection due to eating their dead companions. He prepared bou- 

 illon cultures of vibrio-metschnikovi and injected them into young 

 pigeons, and made cultures from the heart blood of these. These cul- 

 tures upou injection into 7 full-grown pigeons resulted in the death of 

 the birds within 7 hours. With the germs thus virulent 2 specimens of 

 Spermophilus columbianus and 2 specimens of the other species noted 

 were inoculated with 0.5 cc. of a 24-hour-old bouillon culture grown in 

 an incubator. A young pigeon used as a control was inoculated with 

 a similar amount. On the same evening the pigeon died and then was 

 placed in a cage containing 4 specimens of SpermopMlus columbianus, 

 which devoured the greater part of the bird during the night. Some 

 48 hours later one of the small inoculated squirrels was dead, and an 

 examination showed the vibrio-metschnikovi in pure culture. The rest 

 of the animals, though watched for several weeks, presented no evi- 

 dence of having been affected by the inoculation. 



To test the suggestion that the comparative absence of ground squir- 



i Centbl. Bakt. u. Par., 17 (1895), p. 742. 

 2 Arch. Sci. Biol., St. Petersbourg, 2, p. 497. 



