CURRENT LITERATURE. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
Cyanophycez and bacteria. 
Dr. ALFRED FISCHER has made further investigations into the structure 
of the Cyanophycez and bacteria." He admits that Biitschli’s central body 
cannot be explained as contracted cell contents, but insists that there is ~ 
such sharp line between central body and ‘ Rindenschicht” as Biitschli 
figures. The analytical value of staining is thoroughly discussed. The 
author stained substances of known chemical composition, and came to the 
conclusion that the coloring does not depend upon a chemical union between 
the stain and the tissue elements, but is rather a physical phenomenon and 
does not determine the relationships of albuminoid bodies or the morpholog- 
ical values of cell elements. Fischer claims that Biitschli was mistaken 
the assumption that digestion experiments support the theory that the central 
body is a nucleus, The green rind of the cyanophyceous cell is a genuine 
chromatophore and can be isolated by reagents. He was not able to demon- 
Strate a layer of protoplasm between the chromatophore and cell wall, — 
believes that plasmolytic phenomena and the collecting of granules along ; : 
cross walls indicate such a layer. The ground mass of the central acon 
nothing but the principal part of the protoplast which is surrounded byt 
: n 
chromatophore. Very often the ground mass stains only slightly deeper - 
twork. The 
dependent 
les play 
any characteristic part during division. In short, i ral body 
Organ which resembles a nucleus in the Cyanophycee, 
a phylogenetic forerunner of the nucleus of higher forms. parschli’s 
In treating of the sulfur bacteria it is found that, contrary soe Chro- 
description, there is no colored rind and colorless central body '® uently 
matium, but the coloring material is uniformly distributed. Bee ees 
there can be no comparison with the Cyanophycez in ~~ a 5 hich are 
the sulfur bacteria the central body is found only in individuals w cere 
free from sulfur, and in sulfur-free Chromatium a central body can 
en u. Bak- 
* FISCHER, ALFRED.—Untersuchungen iiber den Bau der Cyanophyce 
terien. 8yvo. pp. —. Jena: G. Fischer. 1897. 7. 7- [may 
; 366 
