The Microscope. 317 



command a larger attendance than one here on the shores of Lake 

 Michigan. It is a pity, with all the wealth that is in Chicago, the 

 accumulation of which is largely the result of science, no one can 

 be found to endow, out of his millions, a school for fostering so 

 important a branch of science as biology. 



Rhizopod-like Digestive Organs in Carnivorous Plants. — 

 Herren A. Kerner, v. Marilaun, and R. Wellstein v. We.stus- 

 heim, describe the contrivances for the capture and digestion of 

 insects in Lathrrea squamaria and Bartsia alpina. [ SB. K. Akad. 

 Wiss. Wien., XCIII. (1880).] On the back of the underground 

 non-chlorophyllaceous leaves of Lathroe are cavities, the inner walls 

 of which are clothed with glandular organs of two kinds — stalked 

 capitale hairs and sessile 2-4 celled sterile elliiDtical organs, the 

 latter in connection with the vascular bundle system of the leaf. 

 The outer membrane of both organs is provided with extremely 

 regular perforations, from which, under certain circumstances, 

 extremely fine protoplasmic threads project outwards. These 

 threads come into contact with the products of decomposition of the 

 animals (infusoria, mites, etc.), which perish in the cavities. No 

 excretion of any special fluid could be detected. At the commence- 

 ment of the period of vegetation, the absorption of nutriment in 

 Lathraea takes place, chiefly through the haustoria, and the quantity 

 of the remains of animals found in the cavities is extremely small. 

 Towards autumn the haustoria partially disappear, and the number 

 of insects captured increases. 



On Barstia alpina similar organs are found in peculiar hollows 

 formed by the leaves, the margins of which are recurved in vernation. 

 The leaf-buds are under ground, and the structure of the cavities is 

 similar to that in Lathrtea. —</?■. R. M. Soc. 



Action of Alg^ upon Water. — According to M. E. Breal [ Am. 

 Agronom., XII. (1886),] the microscopic algae in fresh water decom- 

 pose bicarbonate of lime dissolved in the water, and thus give rise 

 to a calcareous deposit. Being able to live in neutral or slightly 

 alkaline liquids, they may, by the oxygen which they disengage, 

 serve to oppose, or even arrest, putrefaction. They rapidly remove 

 nitrates and ammonia from water, since these two substances supply 

 the nitrogen necessary to their growth ; in the dark, however, 

 liquids charged with these algje evolve ammonia. — Jr. _R. M. Soc. 



