ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICEOSCOPY, ETC. 251 



larger portion of the seed. The embryo is small, and is situated near 

 the micropylar region. 



The process of germination itself is characterized by the small de- 

 velopment of the radicle, of the hypocotyledonary axis, and of the 

 cotyledons. The absorption into the growing embryo of the nutrient 

 substances contained in the perisperm appears to be assisted by a ring 

 of small protuberances in the neighbourhood of the collar, corresponding 

 apparently to the appendages described by Briosi in the seeds of 

 Eucalyptus. 



Germination of the Hazel.* — Herr A. Winkler describes the rarely 

 observed germination of the hazel-nut. The seed appears to retain its 

 germinating power only for about a year ; it is very liable to destruction 

 by frost and by animals. The oily fleshy cotyledons never emerge from 

 the shell, and in the first autumn after germination in the spring have 

 scarcely changed their appearance, but have lost their oil. The two 

 cotyledons resemble those of ^sculus in being closely adpressed to one 

 another, but are not actually united, as in Castanea. In the second 

 spring the growing point emerges from the shell, and a strong tap-root 

 is developed, but the root is never pushed above the surface of the soil. 

 During the first year four leaves are formed with almost perfect regu- 

 larity, and the subsequent development is very slow. 



C2) Nutrition and Growth (including- Movements of Fluids). 



Relation between the formation of Tubercles and the presence of 

 nitrogen in the soil.t — Dr. S. H. Vines gives the details of a series of 

 experiments which tend to confirm his previous conclusion that the 

 development of tubercles on the root of Vicia Faha and of other Legu- 

 rainosge is directly related to the absence of assimilable nitrogen in the 

 surrounding medium. The experiments do not conclusively prove that 

 the tubercular disease is not infectious, but they do prove the influence 

 of nitrate in the soil in diminishing the development of tubercles. 



Conduction of Water through Wood.| — Herr A, Wieler replies to 

 the criticisms of Hartig § on his previous communications on this 

 subject, and maintains his assertion that any considerable occupation of 

 the transpiring surfaces with water is only possible in the newest of the 

 annual rings. He further states that the formation of alburnum can have 

 no connection with the conduction of water, since this proceeds more 

 rapidly in the higher than in the lo wer regions of the tree. 



(3) Irritability. 



Spontaneous Movements of Stamens and Styles.)) — Herr H. Beyer 

 gives a resume of all that is known respecting these interesting phenomena 

 and their connection with fertilization. 



He first deals with those actinomorphic flowers which are adapted for 

 " under-pollination " by insects. He regards flowers with a single whorl 

 of stamens as a later derivation from polyandrous flowers, and commences 

 with those of the latter in which the stamens are arranged spirally. 



* VerhancU. Bot. Ver. Prov. Brandenburg, xxix. (18S8) pp. 41-3 (1 pi.), 

 t Ann. of Bot., ii. (1888) pp. 386-9. Cf. this Journal, 1887, p. 788. 

 J Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., vi. (1888) pp. 406-35. § Cf. this Journal, mite, p. 90. 

 II ' Die spontanen Bewegungen d. Staubgefasse u. Stempel,' 1888, 56 pp. See Bot. 

 Centralbl., xxxvi. (1888) p. 262. 



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