INVEETEBKATA, CRYPTOGAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 667 



Action of Ozone on the Colouring-matters of Plants.* — In some 

 experiments by Mr. A. R. Leeds, in which many varieties of flowers 

 were exjiosed during nineteen hours to the action of a current of 152 

 litres of air, containing in all 228 mgr. of ozone, the bleaching 

 efiected was extremely imperfect. When 1200 litres of air were 

 passed over various flowers (total ozone, 1 • 8 grains), they were 

 partly or wholly bleached at the end of five days. A piece of calico 

 with a pattern in bright green and black was completely bleached 

 during the same interval, the green having disappeared completely, 

 and the stain of the mordant only remaining where the black had been. 



From these and other results it is concluded that the colouring- 

 matters of both leaves and flowers of the species {Lantana, Fuchsia, 

 Petunia, Rosa, Verbena, Pelargonium, Bouvardia, Euphorbia, &c.) experi- 

 mented with were partly or wholly destroyed by ozone ; but a con- 

 siderable percentage of ozone is required to produce tliis result, or if 

 such small amounts as are obtained in the customary methods of 

 ozonizing air by phosphorus are employed (1 to 3 mgr. per litre) 

 a large volume of ozonized air must be used, and a considerable 

 interval elapse before bleaching is eifected. 



Red Colouring-matter of the Leaves of the Virginian Creeper.t 

 The red autumn leaves of the Virginian creeper give up to alcohol a 

 beautiful rose-red pigment, which is coloured green by a weak solu- 

 tion of potash, the red colour being again restored by very dilute 

 sulphuric acid. Berzelius has ali'eady shown that the green pigment 

 is different from that of chlorophyll-grains, which is strikingly 

 proved, according to Schnetzler, by the following experiment : — 



1 volume of water, 1 volume of the red alcoholic solution, and 

 ^ volume of sulphuric acid are slightly agitated together. After a 

 short time a beautiful green solution in ether with red fluorescence 

 floats on the top of the solution of the true chlorophyll-pigment. 

 The red pigment of the leaves of the Virginian creeper, separated, 

 from the colouring-matter of the chlorophyll, is dissolved in the 

 mixture of alcohol and water. It is changed to green by a solution 

 of potash, but is not then fluorescent. 



Chemical Composition of Aleurone-grains.J — Dr. Vines con- 

 tinues the account of this investigation, which appeared in 1878. § It 

 was therein shown tliat the aleurone-grains of the lupin consist of 

 three proteid substances, namely, of two globulins — the one belonging 

 to the myosin group, the other to tlie vitellin group — and of a substance, 

 allied to the peptones, provisionally tenncd hcinialbumosc. In the 

 present communication the results of the investigation of the grains 

 of the peony and of the castor-oil plant ( liirlnus) are given. The 

 grains of the peony are found to bo readily soluble in distilled water. 

 Treatment with 10 per cent. NaCl solution, however, proves tlio 

 existence of a myosin-globulin. Apparently no vitcllin-globulin is 



♦ ' Clum. News,' xl. (1870) p. 8G. Sec ' Jotini. Cluni. Soc.,' Abstr., xxxviii. 

 (18S0) p. 5S. 



t ' Bot Centrnlbl.,' i. (1880) p. 247. 



i ' Nature," xxii. (1880) p. 91. § ' Proc. Roy. 6oc.,' xxviii. (187.>^) p. 218. 



