ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY^ ETC. 505 



blue, while the broad band appeared to lie in the ultra-violet. With 

 the naked eye the light was distinctly clear blue, whereas it appeared 

 white when the window was open. A red and violet glass let no 

 light through from the mycelium, and very little light passed through 

 dark-blue glass. An orange glass let light through well, and green 

 glass fairly well. Light passed almost unweakened through clear 

 blue glass. 



Structure of Phallus impudicus.* — According to M. Feuilleau- 

 bois the dehiscence of this fungus becomes impossible or must be 

 modified when the conditions vary in which the plant is developed. 

 When exposed to the sun either the dehiscence cannot take place, or 

 the peridium is ruptured at the base, and the foot is then covered by 

 a long veil. If tlie lower part of the fungus is immersed in water 

 the peridial mucus deliquesces, and the whole plant remains inclosed 

 in the peridium. 



Hysterangium rubricatum, a new Hymenogaster.f — Dr. E. 

 Hesse describes under this name a new species of HymenogastrcaD, 

 distinguished from other species of the genus by the large gleba, 

 being the colour of red clay permeated by bluish veins. 



New Entomogenous Fungus.t — M. H. Gadeau de Kerville has 

 found a new fungus, Stilhium Kervillei, growing on the bodies of a 

 dipterous insect, Leria ccBsia. The only reproductive organs detected 

 consist of a conidiophorous apparatus formed of yellowish heads, 

 2-7 mm. in diameter. 



New Parasitic Oidium.§— Signor O. Comes describes, under the 

 name Oidium Geratonice, a parasitic fungus which is very destructive 

 to the Judas-tree, Ceratonia siliqua, in Italy. It attacks both leaves 

 and fruit, causing the former to fall off and injuring the quality of 

 the latter. 



Dry-rot. il — Dr. E. Hartig gives a detailed account of the mode of 

 detecting the presence of dry-rot, Meridius lacrymans, in timber, the 

 life-history of the fungus, the most favourable conditions for its 

 development, and the best methods of preventing its occurrence or of 

 extirpating it. Besides its power of greatly increasing the capacity 

 of wood for absorbing moisture, Hartig states that the fungus itself 

 possesses the faculty of making dry wood moist by itself absorbing 

 water and conveying it to the wood. 



Zygospores of Mucorini.t— M. G. Bainier describes the structure 

 and form of the zygospores and other organs in a number of species of 

 Mucorini. 



In 31. spinosus tho sporangia appear completely black, and their 

 wall is furnished with fine needles, which are set at liberty on the 



* Rev. Mycol., 1884. 



+ Pringsheim's Jahrb. f. "Wiss. Bot., xv. (1884) pp. 631-641 (1 pi.). 



% Bull. Soc. Ami des Sci. Nat. Eouen, 1883 (1 pi.). See Bull Soc. Bot. 

 France, xxxi. (1884) Rev. Bibl., p. 171. 



§ Atti R. Istit. d' Incoraggiameuto di Napoli, ill. (1884). See Bot. Centralbl., 

 xxi. (1885) p. 53. 



II Bot. Verein Miinchen, Nov. 12, 1884. See Bot. Centralbl., xxi. (1885) p. 30. 



t Ann. Sci. Nat.— Bot., xix. (1884) pp. 200-16 (4 pis.). 



