60 



Dr. S. H. Vines. 



[Nov. 25 r 



IT. Tlie Aleurone-Grains of the Sunflower (Helianthus annuus). • 



a. Microscopical Observations. — The sections of the seeds were treated 

 with ether or alcohol, to remove the oil. 



The grains became vacuolated on treatment with water. 



They dissolve completely in 10 per cent. ISTaCl solution. 



If they have been previously treated with alcohol, they dissolve 

 readily and completely in saturated JSTaCl solution ; but if they have 

 been previously treated with ether they only become vacuolated. 



b. Chemical Observations. — The seeds were ground in a hand-mill, 

 and treated with alcohol or ether to remove the oil. 



The watery extract of the seeds gives no precipitate on boiling. On 

 concentrating the fluid, and then allowing* it to filter into alcohol, a 

 dense precipitate is formed. This substance is readily soluble in dis- 

 tilled water, and its solution gives the xanthoproteic and Millon's 

 reactions, a rose colour with KHO and CuS0 4 , a precipitate on the 

 addition of HJST0 3 , and an immediate precipitate on the addition of 

 potassic ferrocyanide after acidification with acetic acid. 



The 10 per cent. NaCl extract gives a precipitate on boiling, and on 

 saturation with JSTaCl . 



The saturated JSTaCl extract gives, when the seeds have previously 

 been treated with alcohol, a dense precipitate on boiling, and on 

 dilution; if the seeds have been previously treated with ether, the 

 amount of the precipitate is much less ; boiling produces little more 

 than a turbidity. 



These observations, taken together, show that these grains contain : 

 (1) a substance (vegetable peptone or hemialbumose) which is soluble 

 in water ; (2) a substance which is soluble in 10 per cent. NaCl solu- 

 tion, precipitable from its solution by saturation with NaCl, and which 

 therefore belongs to the group of myosin-globulins. ; (3) a substance 

 which is soluble in saturated NaCl solution, whether the grains have 

 been treated with alcohol or ether, and which therefore belongs to the 

 group of the vitellin-globulins ; and (4) a substance which, like the 

 crystalloids of Bicinus described in a previous communication, is 

 soluble in saturated NaCl solution only after previous treatment with 

 alcohol. 



V. The Aleur one- Grains of the Brazil-Nut (Bertholletia excelsa). 



a. Microscopical Observations. — Like those of Bicinus, the grains of 

 this plant present no indication of a complex structure when mounted 

 in alcohol ; on the addition of water they become transparent, and the 

 crystalloid, as well as the curiously irregular globoid, can. be seen. 



On treatment with 10 per cent. NaCl solution, the whole grain 

 (excepting, of course, the globoid) dissolves. 



Treatment with saturated NaCl solution produces the same result^ 



