ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 231 



and Cohn (Bot. Zeit., 184:9), and by them associated with the formation 

 of starch. In a supplementary note the author states that the long 

 hyaline rhizoids of Nitella afford a more favourable means of demon- 

 strating the selective colouring, the vacuole becoming deeply coloured, 

 while the thin uncoloured outer stream is in active rotation. The 

 vacuole-contents may be strongly coloured by reason of an acid reaction. 

 Ordinary vrater, or distilled water, is usually slightly alkaline, slowly 

 changing neutral red to yellow or orange. When Nitella is grown in 

 water slightly acidified with acetic acid the vacuole becomes much more 

 deeply coloured than the culture solution. E. S. G. 



Fungi. 



New Peronospora for Italy (Peronospora Radii De Bary) and its 

 Floral Deformations on Matricaria Chamomilla. — Nicola Bblosersky 

 {Atti Accad. Sci. Venet. -Trent. -Istr., 191'J, 10, 111-G). The author 

 sums up the deformations caused by the fungus as reported by Molliard 

 — the mechanical action exercised by the mycelium on dividing cells ; 

 torsion of the floral peduncle owing to the formation of secondary tissue ; 

 modifications due to alterations in nourishment, such as the atrophy of 

 the sexual organs and transformation of the floral ligules into floral tubes, 

 etc. The latter deformations more especially were confirmed by the 

 author, and are described in detail. A. Lorrain Smith. 



Infection Experiments on Tomatoes with Phytophthora terrestria, 

 etc. — J. RosENBAmi {Phytopathology, 1920, 10, 101-5). The fungus 

 causes a rot of the fruits, these being attacked where they touch the 

 ground. If the fruit is only slightly damaged, the fungus can be killed 

 by immersion of the tomatoes in 60° C. water for one and a half minutes. 

 The addition of 1-5000 copper sulphate to infected soil will prevent 

 infection from the soil to the tomatoes. A. L. S. 



Zoophagus insidans. — Robert Mirande {Bull. Soc. MycoL Fr., 

 1920, 36, 47-53, 2 figs.). This fungus, a parasite on rotifers and 

 other animalculse, was discovered in Austria in 1911. Mirande has 

 recently found it in an aquarium in which aquatic mosses were cultivated. 

 The fungus has a long non-septate wide filament similar to that of a 

 Saprolegnia. At varying intervals there are narrow branchlets or 

 projections at right angles to the main filament. It is by means of 

 these branchlets that the fungus captures the animalcules and retains 

 them until their contents are exhausted. The author seems to agree 

 with the suggestion that the fungus is allied to Saprolegnia, He 

 compares it with Arthroboirys oh'yospora, which captures Nematodes. 



A. L.S. 



Chytridine Parasite of Lucerne. — Fron and Laonier {Bull. Soc. 

 Mycol. Ft., 1920, 36, 53-61, 1 pi., 1 fig.). The fungus Urophlyctis 

 Alfalfas causes deformation of the host plant. It invades the cells, 

 causing them to enlarge ; the cellular membrane is thickened, and the 



