938 RECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



porcelain, with no clots, puncta, or strife, or other marks common to 

 diatoms. 



" B. porcellaneus, n. s. Characters that of the genus, with a ridge 

 siibmarginal, giving it the look of a dinner-plate ; other examples 

 have a curved ridge in some (not constant) part of the disk." 



Adulteration of Currant Jelly with Diatoms. * — Professor Ch. 

 Menier, of Nantes, in examining with the Microscope some so-called 

 currant " preserves," recognized that the gelatinous consistency was 

 due to diatoms, as was evidenced by the presence of a very fine Arach- 

 noidiscus japonicus. 



Professor Menier then procured some of the substance (used 

 for various industrial purposes) known as Chinese or Japanese glue, 

 and discovered the same diatom. This is not found in France, and 

 he was thus able to establish the actual composition of the " pre- 

 serve." The colour he found to be due to cochineal and hollyhock, as 

 was shown by the presence of large pollen-graius of the Malvacete. 

 The preserve would not, of course, keep long, being quickly invaded 

 by cryptogamic productions. 



Professor Menier points out that the Japanese glue is " a very easy 

 and valuable substance for diatomists to explore, and in which dis- 

 coveries will probably be made." According to him it is manufactured 

 out of the AlgfB of the Japanese coasts that are capable of being 

 transformed into jelly — at any rate, the debris of a number of very 

 different Algfe are found. M. Bornet considers them capable of being 

 identified. 



Palmelline, the Colouring-matter of Palmella cruenta.t — M. 

 Phipson has subjected to careful examination the colouring matter of 

 this minute alga, often found as a red stain at the bottom of walls, &c., 

 esjiecially in winter. Under the Microscoiie, it is seen to consist of 

 minute globules, about 4 /x, in diameter, closely resembling globules of 

 blood, which have a diameter of 5 to 6 /x. They float freely in a 

 mucous fluid not unlike the serum of blood. 



The colouring matter of these globules, to which the author gives 

 the name palmelline, presents a remarkable resemblance to the haemo- 

 globin of blood. It is insoluble in alcohol, ether, benzin, bisulphide 

 of carbon, &c., but dissolves in water ; it is dichro'ic, composed of a 

 red substance combined with an albuminous substance, and coagulates 

 with alcohol, heat, and acetic acid. Its spectrum shows one or two 

 absorption-bands in the yellow, or between the yellow and green. 

 Like h.Timoglobin, it contains iron, the residue on evaporation pre- 

 senting distinct indications of lime, chlorine, and iron. Various other 

 interesting properties of this substance are described by the author in 

 his original paj)er. 



Mycoidea parasitica, a new Parasitic Alga.J — Dr- Cunningham 

 describes under this name a new genus of parasitic Algfe, very destruc- 

 tive to the leaves of camellia, rhododendron, and other plants in India. 



* 'Bull. Soc. Bot. France,' xxvi. (1879) Rev. Bill., p. 66. 

 t ' Coiujites Rendiis,' Ixxxix. (1879) p. 316. 

 t 'Traus. Linn. Soc. (Bot.),' li. (1879) p. 301. 



