ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETO. 
755 
Structure and Development of Collemacese.* — Mr. W. C. Sturgis’s 
observations agree with those of Stahl, that in the Collemaceae the 
fructification always arises from an impregnated carpogone, and the 
paraphyses from vegetative liyphae. The only exception is in the case 
of Hydrothyria venosa , which the author removes from the Collemacese, 
and places in the neighbourhood of Peltigera and Pannaria. He differs, 
however, from Stahl and Lindau in his account of the development 
of the heteromerous lichens. In those examined, Sticta, Nephroma, 
Peltigera , Pannaria , and Hippia , he finds no carpogone, the fructification 
having a purely vegetative origin, the asci and paraphyses originating 
from the same hyphal system. 
Koji, an Inverting Ferment obtained from Rice.t — In the prepa- 
ration of wine, spirit, and other fermented liquids, the Chinese and 
Japanese use koji, a peculiar substance which has the property of 
decomposing starches ; it is obtained from rice which has been steamed 
and freed from husk, by inoculating with the spores of a fungus not 
yet properly classified, and developes a luxuriant and snow-white 
mycele. 
According to Ahlborg the fungus belongs to the genus Eurotium , 
and its specific name is E. Or y zee. It has long been known in 
Japan that koji changes starch into fermentable sugar. According to 
Atkinson koji contains a ferment which is soluble in water, inverts 
cane-sugar, and transforms maltose, dextrin, and starch into dextrose. 
According to the researches of the authors (Kellner, Mori, and 
Nagaoko), koji contains a powerful inverting ferment which changes 
cane-sugar into dextrose and levulose, maltose into dextrose, and starch 
into dextrin, maltose, and dextrose, while milk-sugar and, apparently, 
also inulin are not altered by it. 
Of the known inverting ferments, koji therefore seems to possess 
the greatest power. 
The authors propose for it the provisional name of “ invertase,” but 
are uncertain whether it is a simple body or consists of several 
ferments, and they further express the opinion that invertase is possibly 
produced, not only by Eurotium Oryzse Ahlborg, but that other fungi of 
the same or allied genera are capable of producing the ferment. 
Koji is made in the following manner : — The rice, which has been 
properly bleached and husked, is steamed for about twelve hours, until it 
is thoroughly softened. It is then spread out on straw mats to cool, 
and when its temperature has fallen to 28-35°, a small quantity is mixed 
with the yellowish-brown spores of the fungus, and this mass in its 
turn mixed with the rest of the material. If at hand koji itself may be 
used instead of the spores. The mats are then placed in the front part 
of a sort of cellar, which is either dug out of the ground, or if above, is 
surrounded by thick walls. 
In 18-20 hours the mycele has already developed, and the 
temperature is at the same time considerably increased. The grains are 
next worked up with the hands, and then, having been spread on small 
* Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts and Sciences, xxv. (1890) pp. 15-52 (8 pi?.). See Bot. 
Ztg., xlviii. (1890) p. 530. 
| Zeitschr. f. Physiol. Chemie, 1889, pp. 297-317. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. 
u. Parasitenk., vii. (1890) pp. 672-4. 
