1899] CURRENT LITERATURE 143 
may suffer change from light. Therefore the author selects such fungi as 
produce a loosely woven mycelium that spreads itself out openly to the light 
(Aspergillus, Penicillium, bacteria), and measures such activities as are solely 
dependent on light. As sources of error he recognized chiefly the evolution 
of CO, through decomposition of oxalic acid or of dead parts, and errors 
introduced by variation in temperature. The classical method of Petten- 
kofer (1862) is adopted and the amount of evolved CO, is determined by 
titration with oxalic acid. To secure greater accuracy the gas was forced, 
not drawn, through the apparatus at the rate of three, four, or five liters per 
hour as desired. The process and apparatus are described in great detail. 
Suffice it to say here that exceeding care was given to every feature. The 
culture vessel, of special design, presented a great surface to the light while 
of but small capacity. In order to reduce the absorption by glass the walls 
of the vessel were very thin. The feature wherein this study chiefly surpasses 
previous work is in the regulation of the temperature of the culture during 
€xperimentation. This was accomplished by immersing the culture vessel in 
‘tank containing six liters of water and keeping it at a constant temperature 
electricity, automatically regulated by a very ingeniouscontrivance. Lest 
the thin layer of water covering the culture flask should vary in temperature 
<. water was continually agitated by a paddle operated by a SurRine. 
"i iy air was warmed to the temperature of the water. In this way 
icht 1on was from one tenth to one thirtieth of a degree C. The electric 
ae Was Constant in quantity and quality, thus avoiding the variations inevi- 
in the use of sunlight. Estimations of CO, were made every two min- 
el ey aan announces as a result of his labors that light, under the 
as ployed, increases respiration about 10 per cent. The effect is 
Nid cs ey oF old cultures, richly or poorly nourished fungi, and in 
secondary eae The influence of light during long periods when 
Weiven =f 1 a arise was not investigated. An excellent bibliography 
- L. STEVENS. 
the Wea fon cAxoxomr interest are as follows: In continuing his flora of 
the A ‘alice (Symbole Antillane), URBAN, in the second part, resents 
»Tepr 
24! describes about 
Rico 
erma(Rhamnacez). Linpav presents the Polygonacee, 
Containing —. and sixty-six species, the great genus Coccoloba 
“Presented by tw ty of them. ScHLECHTER presents the Asclepiadacee, 
being Mean... “one genera and eighty-eight species, the largest genus 
Rew genera oa sis Mess thirty-four species, eighteen of which are new. es 
Mag. Tokyo a; ablished, Tainionema and Decastelma.— K. MIYAKE (20 : 
‘T~4. £2. 3. 1899) has described a new genus of Hepatice, 
