INVERTEBRATA, CRYPTOGAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 6G5 



of the dark spots upon tbe cyst walls, probably of excrementitious 

 matter, followed as free granules, others remaining behind. 



Acinetse.* — In continuation of his previous note,f Mr. W. G. 

 Cocks states that he is satisfied the perfect forms of Acinetce which 

 he observed in large numbers on the filaments of an Alga, were in 

 fact developed from some rudimentary, gelatinous-looking masses 

 throwing out fine radiations or pseudopodia (or more properly, per- 

 haps, the Amoeboid forms of Acinetce), found by Mr. Badcock in the 

 autumn — the masses having disappeared, and the swarms of perfect 

 Acinetce taking their place on the one identical Alga only. The 

 development was not, however, actually observed. 



Mr. Cocks also traced the development of an Acineta from the 

 ciliated " swarm-germ " emitted by an adult specimen, through the 

 short pedicellate form, and that which has been described as Podophrya 

 fixa, back to the perfect Acineta. He also satisfied himself that these 

 organisms arc not steps in the life-history of any of the species of 

 Vorticelkt, E^iHtylis, &c., but arc distinct organisms. 



BOTANY. 



A. GENERAL, including Embryology and Histology 

 of the Phanerogamia. 



Disengagement of Carbonic Acid from Roots.| — M. Cauvet, of 

 Lyons, has made a fresh series of experiments on this subject. The 

 general conclusions arrived at are that carbonic acid is disengaged in 

 smaller quantity during tlie night than during any part of the day ; 

 that it augments during the morning and diminishes towards evening; 

 tlie amount disengaged dtiring the night being not more than one- 

 fourtli of that emitted during the three periods of the day. This 

 diflbrence he believes to be mainly due to the action of light, which 

 greatly promotes respiration; all the functions of the plant, especially 

 transjiiration and respiration, being much less active by night than by 

 day. 



Sensitiveness in the Acacia.§ — In Sejitember last Dr. T. L. 

 Phijjsun maile some experiments on the development of sensibility in 

 tlie common Acacia, Itobinia pseuclacacia. The subject was a fine 

 tree, five or six years old, with luxuriant foliage. 



The first experiment was made at 5.30 on the evening of 

 September 17th, the wind being S.S.E., the temperature 17^ C, and 

 tlic sun clear, Tlie leaves wore sent to sleep, whilst still brilliantly 

 lighted l)y the sun, by submitting the terminal leaflet to a scries of 

 ta2)s with the finger. After ffom ten to twenty smart tajis the other 

 leaflets commenced to close, and at the end oi' jive minutes were all 

 " nsleej)." The lateral leaflets folded up one after another, commencing 

 witli that nearest to tlic point of the leaf, i. e. tlie part struck. 



* 'Sci.-Cinssip' ri880). p. 1.").5. t An/r, p. 470. 



X 'Hull. Soc-. ]M. Franco,' xxvii. (1880) p. 4:5. 

 «J •Coinj.tcH l.'.iidiis,' xo. (I8H0) |.. 122H. 



