46 American Quarterly Microscopical Journal. 



we find that the contents that commingle may be at first somewhat, 

 and then be strikingly unlike in quantity. The passive contents will be 

 divided into a comparatively small number of portions (in Fucus 

 eight), but these each can be fertilised by the very smallest portion of 

 the active contents. Now may not the Mesocarpese be a link between 

 these groups ? The contents of each of the two cells divides into 

 certain portions. The fertilising power of the active contents is not 

 sufficient for the passive contents, and hence but one portion — that 

 the most specialized — is fertilised ; this forms the zygospore ; the 

 other portions remain sterile. Then this spore would differ from the 

 zygospore of Zygnema just in the same proportion as it would differ 

 from the oospore of Fucus, but the fructification would not at all be 

 a representative carpospore, and the at first sight very anomalous case 

 of M. calcarca may be explained by supposing that the number of 

 partitions is a matter of but secondary importance, unless the fertilis- 

 ing power of the active contents were to increase. This field of re- 

 search is an important one, and much as we are indebted for informa- 

 tion on these points to the labors of the Swedish botanists, we must 

 still continue to look for fresh facts and new explanations. 



E. Perceval Wright. 



ON THE STRUCTURE OF BLOOD-CORPUSCLES. 



At the " Physiological Laboratory," University of Michigan, 

 Dr. C. H. Stowell has continued his study on the structure of 

 the red blood-corpuscles. 



The method employed is that given by Professor Boettcher 

 in the Archiv fiir. Mic. Anat. Bd. 4. 



The corpuscles are " bleached " by means of a saturated so- 

 lution of corrosive sublimate in 96 per cent, alcohol. Into 

 fifty parts of this solution one of blood is rapidly diffused. 



In cwenty-four hours the super-incumbent fluid is poured off 

 and alcohol added. In twenty-four hours more this is poured 

 off and distilled water added. 



The corpuscles are then subjected to staining agents, car- 

 mine being preferred. 



Three classes of corpuscles are seen. 



ist — Homogeneous and shiny. 



2d — Those having a nucleus; and 



3d — Those having a well-marked nucleus and nucleolus. 



The July No. of Neiv Preparations contains the following 

 account of recent experiments. Dr. Stowell says : 



" My experiments were performed on cats and rats, poison- 



