31 



ously noted by Bertrand; but curiously enough, the addition of 

 hydrogen peroxide to the enzyme solution restored it to its 

 usual activity. This and many similar experiments led Bach 

 to believe that tyrosinase contains the oxygenase and peroxidase 

 complements.^* Our final conclusion must be then, that tyrosi- 

 nase may have the usual oxidase complements (oxygenase plus 

 peroxidase) and that its peroxidase may be specific just as the 

 peroxidase of laccase is specific in its action upon substances 

 having a certain constitution. 



{To be continued) 

 Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, of Columbia University, 

 College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York. 



REDISCOVERY OF TILLANDSIA SWARTZII BAKER 



By N. L. Britton 



In "Journal of Botany," 26: 12, published in 1888, and in 

 "Handbook of Bromeliaceae," 191, 1889, Mr. J. G. Baker de- 

 scribed this species, based on a specimen collected many years ago 

 by Swartz in the island of Jamaica and supposed by him to be 

 Tillandsia paniculata L. Professor Carl Mez,in his Monograph 

 of the family Bromeliaceae (DC. Mon. Phan. 9: 884), published 

 in 1896, states that he has seen this specimen, but regards it as 

 doubtful, perhaps referable to the Liliaceae. 



The type specimen is preserved in the herbarium of the British 

 Museum of Natural Plistory, and while there in the spring of 

 1910, I examined it and was inclined to agree with Professor Mez. 

 But, on returning to New York immediately afterward, I found 

 in a parcel of choice Jamaica plants collected early the same year 

 by Mr. William Harris, fine specimens, which I recognized as 

 of the same species, and on sending one of these to Mr. Edmund 

 Baker at the British Museum, he confirmed my identification 

 by a comparison with the type. Mr. Harris found the plant 

 growing on rocks in the Rio Minho Valley, March 3, 1910 {No. 

 10,885), raore than one hundred years after its collection in 



"Recently he found that the salts of manganese, etc., could apparently replace 

 the peroxidase part. In this connection see: Ber. Chem. Gesell. 43: 366. 1910. 



