50 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XX. No. 497. 



of Araiospora by the coalescence of several 

 small cytoplasmic patches from various parts 

 of the ooplasm was described. The body 

 probably is an attraction center for the sexual 

 nuclei. A similar structure was not found in 

 Sapromyces. Bhipidium was also briefly de- 

 scribed. The presence of a periplasm and the 

 migration of the nuclei from the developing 

 egg indicates that the Leptomitaceae are more 

 closely allied to the Peronosporinese than to 

 the Saprolegnineffi. Photomicrographs were 

 shown from Dr. King's preparations showing 

 the facts brought out and showing also in- 

 direct nuclear division in the oogonium and 

 zoosporangium of Sapromyces. 



An interesting discussion followed. 



The second paper of the afternoon was by 

 Mr. B. C. Gruenberg and was entitled ' Chem- 

 ical Investigations on Hwmatoxylon.' Hsema- 

 toxylin is one of the most valuable of com- 

 mercial dyes and the business of supplying 

 the wood from which it is made forms an 

 important industry in some of the West In- 

 dies. Considerable annoyance has been caused 

 by the fact that some of the logwood or Hwma- 

 toxylon trees contain little or no dye, whole 

 shipments even having been condemned on 

 this account. The so-called ' bastard log- 

 wood ' is not always to be distinguished at 

 the time of cutting. It is either lighter in 

 color or if dark at first it can be recognized 

 by not becoming still darker on seasoning for 

 some months as does the good wood. 



Professor Earle investigated the disease in 

 the field, and concluded that the lack of pig- 

 ment was not due to external conditions, or 

 to disease, or to immaturity, but that the 

 logwood is a variable plant and the bastard 

 form is a variety or subspecies. 



The percentage of carbon in the ash-free 

 material was determined for different samples 

 with somewhat varying results, but showing 

 that the good wood contains a slightly higher 

 percentage, due probably to the carbon in the 

 pigment. 



Analysis of leaves, stems and roots of one- 

 year-old plants showed that the bastard plants 

 contained slightly more ash and water, but 

 the difference was very slight. 



Extracts of the pigment were made with a 



number of different solvents from varying 

 samples of wood. The extracts with different 

 solvents did not give parallel results as indi- 

 cating the amount of pigment. In diluting 

 the extracts chemical changes occurred. Al- 

 kalies increase the color of extracts of the 

 good wood but not extracts of the bastard 

 wood. Acids have a parallel effect. 



Results on the soluble substances in the 

 wood were not satisfactory on account of de- 

 composition on drying. There are probably 

 several pigments. 



After a discussion of the paper the meeting 

 adjourned. 



William T. Hoene, 

 Secretary pro tem. 



THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE OF ST. LOUIS. 



At the meeting on April 4, Dr. C. Barck 

 read a paper on ' The History of Spectacles.' 



The essayist divided the subject into two 

 parts, the development of the industrial art, 

 and the evolution of the scientific selection. 

 In regard to the former, it is an open question 

 whether the Chinese invented glasses prior to 

 the Europeans. Of the ancient nations of 

 western Eurasia, we possess only one relic, 

 namely, a convex lens of rock crystal which 

 was discovered among the ruins of old Nin- 

 eveh by Sir Layard. To the Egyptians, 

 Greeks and Romans glasses were unknown. 

 The latter assertion does not agree with the 

 common opinion, as expressed in the belief 

 that Nero was near-sighted and used glasses. 

 But this is due to a misinterpretation of a 

 passage of Pliny, as proved at length by the 

 reader of the paper. During the first twelve 

 centuries of the Christian era there is no men- 

 tion of spectacles; they were invented at the 

 end of the thirteenth century by two Italians, 

 Armati and Spina, either independently or 

 conjointly. This is proved by a number of 

 documents. The essayist then dwelt upon the 

 gradual spread of their use, and the improve- ' 

 ment of the frames and lenses. At first only 

 convex lenses were used, concave ones being 

 employed about two centuries afterwards. 

 Cylindrical lenses for the correction of astig- 

 matism, which had been discovered by Thomas 

 Young in 1801, were devised by the astron- 



