NOTES AND NEWS. 47 
transformed in the body of the cow or horse which is put to grass 
into the hippuric acid which is so abundant a constituent of the 
urine of these animals. Again, grass contains a large quantity of 
fat, which is really vegetable wax mixed with a solid hydro-carbon, 
various higher alcohols and phytosterin being present therein as 
bases, instead of glycerine, as in true fats. There is also a con- 
siderable amount of gum, pentosans, mucilage, etc., which contain 
galactose in such quantities as to enter (as lactose or milk-sugar) the 
milk secreted by the mammary glands of herbivora. There is little 
or no tannin in pasture-grasses ; but there exists a small quantity of 
a yellow glucoside—either rutin or an ally—the same body to which 
the yellow aide of straw is due. ‘The ‘heaven-sent balm’ of new- 
mown hay m t be unpoetically referred to as a substance called 
‘coumarin, Guia is related to the cinnamic acid present in man 
balsams, and when fused with potash yields salicylic acid. The 
chlorophyll of grass seems to be associated with the wax (and not 
with resin, as in nettle, etc.) which it very solidly tints in its entire 
mass, and doubtless some of the peculiar characteristics of the emerald 
green of field and sward may be attributed to this circumstance. 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
We most heartily | rs ae hy publishers and the new editor (Mr. 
fy nt) of ‘The Zool on their — adherence to its old 
traditions, cand also that the changes introduced are decided improvements. 
ign on the wra 
onthe air td among ritish soeniliale the exclusion of re of societies’ 
m and the decid Sed pibli iographical convenience of giving the correct 
number (667) of the January part, thus showing the continuity of the magazine 
m 1843. 
OE. 
An object of considerable interest and value has recently been presented to t 
Bradford Corporation, in the form of a segment of a section of Seguoia pata 
andin 
i 
ra John Clayton, a well-known Be — bota: nist, to whom great credit is due 
in 
been carefully studied by Mr. Clayton, and he affirms, without fear of contradiction, 
—S only one properly defined ring is produced in one year, thus the 1,335 rings 
‘Mark Twain’ prove that the first ring was formed so many years before the 
wee cut shete instructive on the exhibit by Mr. Clayton, which 
efere below, renders the exhibi' 
may be consul nce Library, im y t 
race 8 interesting. It Aevid also be observed that a similar segment from the same 
tree is on in the Museum of Owens College, Manchester. 
February 1897. 
