NARCISSUS. 



567 



The lamella are not so distinct and are finer than 

 in N. empress, but do not show any other noteworthy 

 differences. 



In size the grains are somewhat smaller, the common 

 sizes being 22 by 26/*, 22 by 22/t, and 22 by 18/*. 



POLABISCOPIC PROPERTIES. 



The fiyure is often not very distinct and is rarely 

 well defined. The lines are broad and often bent and 

 bisected, and they cross at acute angles of widely varying 

 size. There are sometimes 5 or 6 lines instead of 4, and 

 occasionally the figure is a conjugate hyperbola, or a long 

 line bisected at both ends instead of a cross. 



The degree of polarization varies from low to high 

 (value 42). In most of the grains it is moderate or low 

 to moderate. There is considerable variation in a given 

 aspect of an individual grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are not well defined, are 

 unequal in size and often irregular in shape. The 

 colors are usually not pure and there are a few grains 

 which have a greenish tinge. 



Comparison of the polariscopic properties between 

 N. albicans and N. empress shows : 



The figure is usually more distinct and less poorly 

 defined. The lines are less often bent or bisected, and 

 they cross at acute angles which do not vary greatly in 

 size. There are fewer figures in the form of a conjugate 

 hyperbola, or of a long line with bisected ends. 



The degree of polarization varies from low to high 

 (value 37) , less than N. empress. There are more grains 

 with a low or a low to moderate degree of polarization 

 than in N. empress, and there is less variation in a given 

 ftspect of an individual grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are more often well de- 

 fined and are less irregular in shape. The colors are 

 more often not pure and there are fewer grains which 

 have a greenish tinge. 



Iodine Reactions. 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol"s solution, the grains all 

 color a moderate violet tinged with blue (value 50), and 

 the color deepens with moderate rapidity until the grains 

 are all colored very deeply and with more of a bluish tint. 

 With 0.125 per cent Lugol's solution the grains all color 

 a light violet, and the color deepens with moderate 

 rapidity until all the grains are deeply colored and have 

 a somewhat bluish tint. After heating in water until the 

 grains are all gelatinized and then treating with a 2 

 per cent Lugol's solution, the grains all color a moderate 

 indigo, and the solution a deep indigo. If the prepara- 

 tion is boiled for 2 minutes and then treated with an 

 excess of a 2 per cent Lugol's solution, the grain-residues 

 all color a light indigo, the capsules a red or reddish 

 violet, and the solution a deep indigo-blue. 



Comparison of the iodine reactions between N. albi- 

 cans and N. empress shows: 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains color 

 somewhat more (value 55), and so also with 0.125 per 

 cent Lugol's solution. After heating in water until 

 the grains are gelatinized and then treating with a 2 

 ppr cent Lugol's solution, the gelatinized grains and the 

 solution react as in N. empress. If the preparation is 

 boiled for 2 minntes and then treated with an excess of a 

 2 per cent Lugol's solution, the grain-residues, the cap- 

 sules, and the solution react as in N. empress. 



Aniline Reactions. 



With gentian violet the grains all color, very lightly, 

 at once, and in 30 minutes they are all light to moder- 

 ately colored (value 43). The grains are all equally 

 deeply colored and there is no difference in the depth of 

 color in different parts of individual grains. 



With safranin the grains all color very lightly at once, 

 and in 30 minutes they are all moderately colored (value 

 53), more than with gentian violet. The grains are all 

 equally deeply colored and there is no difference in the 

 depth of color in different parts of individual grains. 



Comparison of the aniline reactions between N. albi- 

 cans and N. empress shows : 



With gentian violet the grains color light to moder- 

 ately (value 40), somewhat less than in N. empress. 



With safranin they color moderately (value 50), 

 somewhat less than in N. empress. 



Temperature Reactions. 



The temperature of gelatinization of the majority 

 of the grains is 70° to 71° C, and of all is 73° to 

 74° C, mean 73.5° C. 



Comparison of the temperature reactions between N. 

 albicans and N. empress shows : 



The temperature of gelatinization is the same — 73° 

 to 75° C, mean 74° C. 



Effects of Various Reagents. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in 2 min- 

 utes. Complete gelatinization occurs in less than 0.5 

 per cent of the entire number of grains and total starch 

 in 5 minutes; in about 3 per cent of the grains and 5 per 

 cent of the total starch in 15 minutes; in about 14 per 

 cent of the grains and 16 per cent of the total starch in 

 30 minutes; in about 19 per cent of the grains and 23 

 per cent of the total starch in 45 minutes ; and in about 

 21 per cent of the grains and 26 per cent of the total 

 starch in 60 minutes. (Chart D 317.) 



The hilum becomes distinct, accompanied by the 

 formation of a bubble in a moderate number of grains. 

 The lamella? are at first not visible, but later become mod- 

 erately distinct, in all the grains. The grains become 

 more refractive, the first part to show this is a rather 

 narrow portion at the margin, which becomes moderately 

 refractive soon after the reagent is added. Gelatiniza- 

 tion begins at various points on the distal margin, except 

 in the lenticular, the elongated ovoid, and the elliptical 

 grains in which it begins at either end and progresses 

 according to two methods. In the first method, which 

 is seen in a majority of the grains, gelatinization spreads 

 around the margin until the whole distal end is involved 

 and then moves toward the proximal end. Its advance is 

 accompanied by the serial separation and gelatinization 

 of groups of lamellae until only a small portior imme- 

 diately surrounding the hilum remains, and this gela- 

 tinizes rather rapidly and in all parts at once as the 

 hilum enlarges. In the lenticular, elongated ovoid, and 

 elliptical grains gelatinization advances from either end 

 toward the center and is accompanied by fissuring and 

 some granulation of the grain. In a few grains in which 

 gelatinization begins at the distal margin, serial separa- 

 tion of the lamella? does not occur, and instead gela- 

 tinization progresses from the points at which it begins 

 towards the distal end, by means of deep cracks and 



