September 8, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



359 



at this place and hence receives the full wash 

 of the Sound's waters from each tide. The 

 numerous quantities of igneous rocks in the 

 channel and the rapidly moving water makes 

 this location an ideal " field " for the growing 

 of Nereocystis luetheana. At low tide the 

 beach is strewn with seaweed along with a few 

 other, hut smaller, varieties. 



The stems and leaves are covered with a 

 slimy coating from one sixteenth to one eighth 

 of an inch in depth, and composed of alga? and 

 other microorganisms. This covering acts as 

 a protective coating to the seaweed while it lies 

 exposed to the sun's radiations during low tide. 

 Many of the leaves, twelve to twenty feet long 

 and sixteen to twenty inches in width, develop 

 light yellow spots with a filmy texture some- 

 times covering large portions of the leaves. 

 The chlorophyl disappears entirely from these 

 spots and does not apparently reappear as such 

 upon submergence during the incoming tide. 

 Upon close examination it is found that the 

 slimy covering mentioned above has dried com- 

 pletely over the bleached spots, and in many 

 instances there is none of the dried film pres- 

 ent, suggesting that the slimy covering had 

 been removed mechanically by wave motion, 

 etc. 



One would be at a loss to explain this dis- 

 coloration of green coloring-matter in the sea- 

 weeds was it not for the strong odor of bromine 

 in the vicinity where this bleaching was in 

 progress, especially after the sun had radiated 

 upon the beached plants for an hour or more. 

 The " stench " of the fumes as being due to 

 bromine is unm istakable to those who are at 

 all familiar with the element. The presence of 

 the bromine in the air about these localities 

 must be due to the action of photo-chemical 

 or microorganic processes upon the combined 

 bromine and other halogens present in the 

 seaweed. The liberation of small amounts of 

 the halogens in the presence of the chlorophyl 

 undoubtedly causes its discoloration. 



In order that it might be determined whether 

 or not the bromine existed in combination 

 within the seaweed, several large Nereocystis 

 (stems and leaves intact) were secured, washed, 



dried and ashed. The ashes gave a strong 

 test for both bromine and iodine. 



From the qualitative test one would expect 

 the quantity of bromine to be equal to, if not 

 greater than, the iodine content in the same 

 ash. The ashes from Nereocystis secured at 

 different times were kept on hand and given 

 to the students for analytical determinations, 

 viz., sodium, potassium, chlorine, bromine and 

 iodine. 



Two large Nereocystis luetheana yielded 

 upon quantitative examination the following 

 substances expressed in per cent, of dry weight 

 of material: 



Though not going into detail as to the meth- 

 ods used in analysis (a detailed analysis will 

 be reported in one of the chemical journals) I 

 might say that standard procedures were fol- 

 lowed. 



It appears that the bromine should be both 

 recoverable and merchantable in view of the 

 present prices of this commodity. 



Harper F. Zoller 

 Kansas State Agricultural College, 

 Manhattan, Kans. 



THE NORTH CAROLINA ACADEMY OF 

 SCIENCE 



THE NORTH CAROLINA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



The North Carolina Academy of Science met in 

 annual session at the Agricultural and Mechanical 

 College, Ealeigh, on Friday and Saturday, April 28 

 and 29, 1916. The executive committee had a 

 meeting on Friday afternoon, and after this there 

 was a session for the reading of papers. At night 

 President D. H. Hill, of the college, delivered an 

 address of welcome and then President A. S. 

 Wheeler, of the academy, gave his presidential ad- 

 dress, "The Critical Dyestuff Situation," with a 

 demonstration of materials. Next Professor E. 

 W. Gudger read a paper entitled, ' ' The Eemora or 

 Echeneis; A Living Fish-hook," illustrated with 

 specimens and photographs. 



