BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, ETC. 351 



A number of new genera and species are named and the dif- 

 ferent properties of the purple bacteria are examined, and their 

 behaviour in regard to light, to oxygen, and various acids fully 

 described. Molisch also subjected the colouring matter to a series 

 of chemical and physical tests, finding two new colours : one 

 green, which he names Bakterio-chlorin, and the other Bakterio- 

 purpurin. The former resembles chlorophyll green but gave a 

 different spectrum, it was also more susceptible to light, becoming 

 brown in strong sunlight. The Bakterio-purpurin crystallized very 

 easily, and was demonstrated to be one of the Karotin group. 

 The illustrations represent the bacteria, the colour crystals and the 

 spectra formed by the two colouring matters. ATS 



BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, dc. 



At the meeting of the Linnean Society on 20th June, Dr. 

 Eendle gave an account of the plants collected on Mt. Kuwenzori 

 by Dr. A. F. E. Wollaston (1906) from the paper by himself 

 and Messrs. E. G. Baker, Spencer Moore, and A. B. Rendle. 

 The plants were collected from two camps — one at about 3500 ft. 

 above sea-level on the south-east slopes of the range between 

 the mountains proper and Lake Euisamba ; the other at 6500 ft. 

 in the Mubuku Valley on the east side of the range. Ex- 

 peditions were made to intermediate and higher altitudes, the 

 highest camp being at about 12,500 ft., whence plants were 

 collected up to the snow-level at about 14,500 ft. on the east 

 side. The time of year was January to July. Dr. Wollaston 

 gives notes on the vegetation at different altitudes from 3000 ft. to 

 15,000 ft., and lias brought back some photographs showing the 

 nature of the country and different aspects of the vegetation. 

 The plants at the lower elevations include some common tropical 

 weeds, with a fair percentage of more localized species and some 

 novelties. Cultivation ceases above 7000 ft., and at from 7000 ft. 

 to 8000 ft. is found the largest forest of the range ; a large Dom- 

 beya is noticeable, and one of the finest trees is a Podocarpus. 

 Above 8000 ft. the forest thins out, and is gradually replaced by a 

 belt of small tree-heaths and Podoccupus. The bamboo-zone 

 begins on the east side at about 8500 ft. and continues up to , 

 10,000 ft. The big tree-heaths begin about 9500 ft., at which 

 level a number of terrestrial orchids were found, with, numerous . 

 ferns. From 10,000 ft. to 11,000 ft. moss is plentiful on the 

 ground and trees forming cushions 2 ft. deep: here were found 

 two tree-Lobelias. In the next thousand feet Helichrysums, 

 Lobelias, tree-heaths, and tree-Senecios are the most conspicuous 

 plants. The heaths cease about 12,500 ft., but the Senecios con- 

 tinue almost to 14,000 ft. Another Lobelia appears at about 

 12,500 ft., and is found on the steepest slopes almost to the snow- 

 line. Helichrysums, sometimes forming bushes four or five feet 

 high, grow luxuriantly. A small Arabis was found at 14,000 ft., 

 and a rush, a new species of Poa, and mosses, were found growing 

 up to the level of permanent snow\ 



