1902] CURRENT LITERATURE 73 
cultures, but chief interest centers in the spore-formation. Under special nutri- 
tive conditions (“starvation ’’) two neighboring cells put out beaks towards one 
another, which meet and fuse by their tips. The ‘compound cell” thus formed 
appears as two ordinary cells attached to one another by an elongated neck. 
“A few hours after fusion, in each compartment of the compound cell” the 
spores begin to round off. The author also obtained appearances that he 
interprets as fusion of the “nuclear apparatus”’ in the connecting tube. He 
discusses the various possible interpretations, but concludes that this phe- 
nomenon is a sexual process of the simplest kind. He also proposes a new 
genus to include this form, and suggests the name Zygosaccharomyces. 
What constitutes sexual fusion, as distinct from other fusions, is a question 
that is becoming increasingly difficult to answer.—J. M. C. 
NOTES FOR STUDENTS. 
CzAPEK shows” that the well known transformation of starch to sugar, 
which accompanies a lowering of ee age in autumn, can be 
prevented if the sugar concentration is su nt. Starch was also formed 
in guard cells of certain plants immersed in a Io per cent. cane “— solu- 
tion at a temperature of o°.— H. C. CowLes. 
TUCKER and TOLLENS,™ also Fruhwirth and Zielstorff,* have taken up 
the question of the autumnal migration of carbohydrates, proteids, phosphoric 
: acid, and potash from the dying leaves to the perennial stems of plants. The 
4 works of Wehmer and Behrens have given rise to a disbelief in such migra- 
tions, Behrens attributing losses of these substances to decomposition and 
leaching out by rain water. The present authors, however, guarding against 
Such processes, conclude that there are fall migrations of useful substances, 
— the amount of sages material’ is very much less than was once 
ed.— H. C. Cow 
D. Poh ti karyokinesis in the pollen mother : 
: Cells of Magnolia and Liriodendron. "3 His conclusions in reference to the 
- first mitosis are that the chromosomes arise from the resting nucleus aS 
irregular masses, without a previous formation of the usual uniform spiral, - = + 
that the resulti ting chromosomes are mostly U-shaped, and that they divide - re 
henmormes The identity of the chromosomes, therefore, is not main- 
tained from the first to the second mitosis, the chromosomes in the latter 
: see arising by the segmentation of an irregular spirem and pene at first ; 
2 Inmpy bodies that assume the form of a shallow u.—IJ. ee = 
ae Ber. d. deutsch. bot. Gesell. 19: 120-127. 1901. ae 
oP Beg fiir r Landw. 48: ee er ee Stat. $5: 9. 1901. : 
ye sis in Magnolia and Liriodendron, with special reference to the oe 
of te cromesmes Bot. Centr alb. Beih. rr: 134-142, Bh re -_ eee 
