28 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Easter vacation. Their object was to determine the effects 

 of certain chemical agents causing a variation in the 

 reaction of the medium upon the growth of organisms, 

 and the phenomena of cell division, including the changes 

 in the nucleus. The organism chiefly employed was the 

 fertilized egg of Echinus esculentus, but a series of 

 experiments was also carried on with unhatched specimens 

 of Pleuronectes platessa. 



The results have been recorded in two papers 

 communicated on November 23rd to the Eoyal Society, 

 which will appear in an early part of the " Proceedings " ; 

 but the following may be given as a preliminary statement 

 of the facts : — It was found that while a slight alkalinity 

 of the solution in which the organisms were growing was 

 favourable to growth, a larger quantity induced irregular 

 divisions and nuclear changes similar to those found in 

 the cells of cancerous tissues. A higher alkalinity of the 

 solution inhibited growth, as did also acids which from 

 the beginning did not show any favouring influence. 



L.M.B.C. Memoirs. 



No further memoir has been issued since No. XII., 

 " Gammai'iis,' 1 by Miss Cussans. Several are, however, 

 in preparation, and " Anurida," b}^ Mr. Imms, and 

 " Antedon," by Mr. Chadwick, will probably be the next 

 to appear. 



