34 Kansas Academy of science. 



ranging the lining, but as she kept walking around upon the rim, 1 could, in imagination, 

 see her plaiting and weaving in and out the hair-like stems. But it was very easy and 

 curious to see and note the actions of the male, in deftly working the material into the 

 frame, running the longer fibrous, threadlike strippings through, quickly springing upon 

 the top and fastening the same on the inside, then rearranging the outside, stopping a 

 moment to inspec^ the work, then off in search of more material, occasionally warbling 

 a few notes on the way, but silent at the nest, while I remained so near. At the rate 

 their work was progressing, I think the nest would be completed during the day. I do 

 not know that it is the usual custom for the females to confine their labors to the plain 

 and necessary work, and the males to the decoration of and ornamental parts, but it was so 

 in this case. It may be that the time of laying was near at hand, and that she felt the 

 pressing necessity for the completion of its lining; for in such cases I have seen nests of 

 birds enlarged and completed by the males while the mothers were sitting upon their 

 •treasures. 



ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF SACCHARINE SUBSTANCES IN THE STEM 

 OF SORGHUM VULGARE. 



BY G. II. FAILYER. 



During the course of some investigations upon the content and development of sac- 

 charine matters in the common sorghum, I made as full examination as opportunity 

 would permit of the distribution of these substances in the plant. Any previous re- 

 searches in this direction, to which I have had access, have been conducted upon the 

 assumption that the only variation in the composition of the juice from different portions 

 of the stem are to be accounted for by differences in age and ripeness. 



Since the lower and riper joints of the southern sugar cane contain a maximum of 

 sucrose and a minimum of dextrose, analogous results were to have been expected with 

 sorghum. This conclusion has been only partially verified by analysis. In all earlier 

 inquiries, the lower half of the stalk has been compared with the upper half. 



While it has been found that there is a slight difference in the composition of the 

 juice from these portions, it has been so very unimportant that Prof. Collier remarks: 

 "There is practically no difference in the juice from the upper or the lower half of the 

 fully-matured sorghum stalks." 



It occurred to me that there might be other variations than those observed, or than 

 would be anticipated, from differences in maturity. Accordingly, a series of analyses of 

 the juice of the several joints of the sorghum stem were made. This analysis was neces- 

 sarily confined to the determination of sucrose and dextrose. Eight stalks, similar as to 

 number of joints, ripeness and growth were selected for each analysis, the lowest joint 

 being in all cases rejected. The stalks were cut through each joint, and the internodes 

 numbered from the butt. They were weighed, the juice expressed and analyzed. The 

 sucrose was determined by the Soliel-Seheibler saccharimeter, after defecation with the 

 smallest possible quantity of the basic acetate of lead. The dextrose was determined 

 by Sohxlet's modification of Fehling's method. 



The following table, giving the results of these analyses, shows that there is great 

 lack of uniformity in the composition of the juice of tins plant, even after it has ripened, 

 and is in a state of comparative inactivity : 



