ale 
1904] CURRENT LITERATURE 393 
always been regarded as evidence of incomplete oxidation. Since calcium oxalate 
occurs in fungi as well as in green plants, it is quite possible that oxalic acid means 
incomplete oxidation for plants as well as for animals. The author’s experiment 
would then be interpreted thus: an excess of calcium retards oxidation and hence 
favors oxalic acid formation; rather than that oxalic acid is formed especially to 
remove excess of lime.—RayMOND H. Ponp. 
ToBLER *4 experimented at the Zoological Station of Naples upon fragments 
of living Rhodophyceae taken from the detritus zone of the bay. He finds motion 
essential to keep the thallus of some algae intact. Griffithsia Schousboet, for 
instance, grew well upon a shaking machine, but fell to pieces in a day when 
kept quiet. Bornetia, which normally has straight branches, only the claw-like 
branches about the fruiting organs being hyponastic, in darkness developed such 
branches at the tip of the plant. Lack of light produces abnormal growth and 
other effects. For example, alternately branched forms in the dark became oppo- 
sitely branched, and oppositely branched species became whorled. Terminal 
cells of Antithamnion plumula became elongated, lighter colored, and hair-like. 
Callithamnion lived three and one half months in complete darkness-—longer 
than it had ever been cultivated in light. Dasya grew more luxuriantly in yellow 
light. About ten cells from the tip of the axis intercalary growth was induced. 
Etiolation phenomena represent only a general form of reaction, because cultures 
wi number of algae in the light show typical etiolation, which the author calls 
phen 
cells, 
In con 
which 
ny by the intimate correlation between the cells of Callithamnion, which 
B S it impossible for them to become separated and remain alive. —ETOILE 
- Stuons, 
nt day is decidedly 
ATTITUDE i i dea 23 
of experimental morphologists of the p as opposed to the 
Tae 
tow; : 
zh ik 4 causal explanation for the behavior of organisms, scott 
— sical view of the past. REINKE,?5 in a lengthy discussion, stren : 
2 
Md SSLER, F., Ueber Eigenwachsthum der Zelle und Pflanzenform. haan of 
ien an Meeresalgen. Jahrb. Wiss. Bot. 39: 527-577- Pl 10. 1993: 
25 snfliisse. Bot. 
Zeit, ts, J., Ueber Deformation von Pflanzen durch aussere Einfliisse 
at: 81-1; 2. pl 
