408 The Botanical Gazette. : [October, 
Their presence in all of the embryo cells may be demon-— 
strated by treating the embryo with acid fuchsin, the chro- 
matophores and a thin layer of plasma surrounding the 
aleurone grains taking the stain. This demonstration is fa- 
cilitated by previously treating the sections with acetic acid 
which causes the aleurone grains to swell and finally to dis- 
solve. Re 
The swelling of the aleurone grains take place normally in 
the early stages of germination, producing a similar effect a 
when treated with acetic acid. : ; 
The chromatophores are frequently found closely pressed 
together in groups of considerable size which are liable to be 
mistaken for single bodies. ee 
In germinating seeds the colorless chromatophores may be 
easily made out by the acid fuchsin stain. The autho 
covered a further means of distinguishing them in resting 
well as germinating seeds by the use of ammonia, 20 . 
or alkaline carbonate. The chromatophores were found to ¢ 
tain chromogen which, by means of these reagemis - 
transformed into a golden-yellow pigment. If th 
of the Helianthus seeds are placed in a moist cnam 
access of air, the chromatophores, owing to the pre at fist 
chromogen, become spontaneously colored, taking on 
a bluish-green, and later a yellowish-brown tint. ee 
A comparison of sections of ripe see those ae 
lings of different ages, including those containing os : 
phyll-green chromatophores, showed all stages of pi? rain 
tion so that it is not to be doubted that the chlorophy”” “la 
of the seedling arise from the colorless chromatophores | 
seed. This result was confirmed by a study © 
Lupinus albo-coccineus. : 1  e 
A later and shorter paper by Famintzin- oaretl 
chromogen of Helianthus seeds. At present the a xal 
gaged in a study of the relations of this asa deriv 
phyll and chlorophyll, both of which are pre Uniort 
from chromogen in the process of germinatio™ gal 
ately the original papers are in Russian, hence = . 
the majority of scientific readers. —G. H. Hicks 3 
