146 BOTANICAL GAZETTE | FEBRUARY 
fertilization, the reduction bringing about a return to the ancestral number of 
chromosomes. 
Spindle formation.—Nemec’s recent investigations led him to believe that 
in vegetative cells the spindle is bipolar from the start, while in spore-mother 
cells it is at first multipolar. The author objects to this distinction because 
he thinks that the two forms intergrade. In root tips of Ephedra major he 
finds that in the early prophase of division a layer of delicate kinoplasm is 
formed about the nucleus, and that this layer soon collects at opposite poles 
of the nucleus, where it appears as a pair of caps, the filamentous nature of 
which is easily recognized. As the nuclear membrane disappears, threads 
grow into the cavity, some of them becoming fast to the chromosomes and 
others forming continuous threads from pole to pole. Since the threads have 
the same origin and same reaction to reagents, he does not approve the dis- 
tinction into mantle fibers and central fibers. 
Centrosomes.—The conclusion is reached that centrosomes are absent from 
the higher plants, although it is conceded that it would be unscientific to 
assert that their occurrence here is impossible. Strasburger is inclined, at 
present, to attribute to the kinoplasm of the higher plants all those functions 
which it elsewhere shares with the centrosome. 
Cilia-forming organs.—The existence of blepharoplasts, which he charac- 
terizes as specialized masses of kinoplasm, should not be regarded as evi- 
dence in favor of a general occurrence of centrosomes among the higher 
plants. While acknowledging that it would be hard to doubt the centrosome 
nature of the organ which gives rise to the tail of the animal spermatozoon, 
he does not think it necessary to assume that the bodies at the base of cilia 
in animals are centrosomes. The evidence does not point to the existence of 
similar bodies at the base of the cilia of plant swarm spores and gametes.— 
CHARLES J. CHAMBERLAIN. 
Classification of bacteria. 
THE completion of Migula’s great taxonomic treatise will be cordially 
welcomed by all bacteriologists. The first or ‘general’? part which was 
reviewed in this journal? on its appearance some two years ago Clearly fore- 
shadowed the importance of the “ special” part, and the huge volume of 
1068 pages now before us? does not disappoint the expectations that gsc 
then raised. Here are brought together some 1200 descriptions of bacterial 
species with a more or less complete bibliography of each form, and, what Is 
perhaps more important than all else, with an orderly arrangement by means 
of which related forms may be readily traced. With all its obvious defects, 
? Bor. Gaz. 24: 379. Nov. 1897. 
3MiGULA, W.: System der Bakterien. Handbuch der Morphologie, Entwic 
lungsgeschichte und Systematik der Bakterien. Zweiter Band. Specielle Systematik sh 
Bakterien, 8vo. pp. 1068. f/. 78. figs. 35. Jena: Gustav Fischer, 1900. 4¢ 3° 
ke- 
