1914] ' BARTHOLOMEW—DIASTASE IN RED ALGAE 137 
posed of red algae. Their results showed the presence of galactose, 
fructose, and glucose in varying quantities. In carrageen (Chon- 
drus crispus), MUTHER and ToLtens: found galactose and probably 
other hexoses belonging to the fructose and glucose groups. 
The grains in the red algae often show the physical character- 
istics of the common starch grains of green plants as to hilum, 
striation, and effect of polarized light, but their place of deposition, 
their behavior toward iodine and zinc chloriodide; their sugar 
extracts, and their apparent resistance to the action of malt extract 
would tend to prove that they are not true starch. The grains 
appear and disappear at various times during the life of the plant, 
thus suggesting the presence of an enzyme which is an active agent 
in bringing about their decomposition. 
The following experiments were performed that further evi- 
dence might be gained as to the nature of the substance composing 
the starchlike grains in the red algae, by determining whether or 
not the diastase that acts on the grains in these plants will also 
digest the common starch isolated from the higher plants. So far 
as is known to the writer, this is the first attempt in this direction, 
and a preliminary statement of the results is herewith recorded. 
Material and methods 
I. SPECIES FROM WHICH EXTRACTS WERE MADE 
Polysiphonia variegata Ag., Dasya elegans Ag., Agardhiella 
@ (J. Ag.) Schmitz, and Ceramium® lent themselves most 
readily to experimentation because of their abundance and the 
fase with which they could be obtained. Grinnellia americana 
Harv., Griffiithsia globifera J. Ag., and Chondrus crispus (L.) Stack. 
Were also used and tended to show the same results as those obtained 
from the foregoing species, but sufficient quantities of the latter 
named plants could not be procured at the time of these experi- 
ments to warrant the drawing of definite conclusions. 
*Miruer, A., and ToLLens, B., Ber. Deutsch. Chem. Gesells. 37:298-305, 
396-311. 1904 
6 ‘ : 
Several Species were used in the same mass of material. 
