562 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
proteins cannot be regenerated from amides in darkness, and nothing 
can yet be said as to the rationale of their regeneration in light. The 
author emphasises the importance of this inquiry by the consideration 
that the metabolism of germination is doubtless, in the main, chemically 
similar to that metabolism which occurs in mature plants throughout 
the whole vegetable kingdom. 
Respiration of the Embryo of Wheat.* * * § — Herr G. Burlakow com- 
pares the respiration of the embryo and of the endosperm of wheat during 
germination. In the early stages the respiration of the embryo is much 
(up to 20 times) more active than that of the endosperm. This is due 
to the large amount of proteids and carbohydrates ; the slight respiration 
of the endosperm being the result of the small amount of active albumen. 
The temperature has a great influence on the energy of the respiration of 
all the parts, especially of the embryo. 
Soluble Ferment in Wine.f — According to Sig. G. Tolomei, contact 
with air causes the oxidation of the colouring matter of wine, rendering 
it insoluble, and developing a characteristic odour. This is due to the 
presence of a soluble enzyme resembling laccase. On adding a muscatel 
ferment to a sterilised wine must, the latter developes, after a few 
days, a crop of SaccJiaromyces ellipsoideus. During this process a soluble 
ferment is elaborated, which, remaining dissolved, is capable of producing 
all the modifications which constitute the maturing of wines. 
y, General. 
Lacustrine Biology 4 — Prof. R. Chodat distinguishes between the 
pelagic and the limnetic plankton flora of the Swiss lakes. Green alg*e 
are not frequent in the pelagic plankton, not being able to support the 
strong and continuous illumination ; those algae which do occur, as 
Botryococcus Braunii , are protected by a red pigment. In most of the 
Swiss lakes the water contains but little nitrogenous matter, or mineral 
salts in solution. Among diatoms, Asterionella and Fragilaria croto- 
nensis are abundant, while Melosira is rare. In the lake of Neuchatel 
the water and the ice are coloured red by immense quantities of Botryo- 
coccus Braunii. 
Flora of Trout-tanks. § — Herr E. Lemmermann has investigated the 
relation to the breeding of trout of the algae found in the trout-tanks at 
Sandfort, near Osnabriick. The diatoms are of great value to trout- 
culture, since they check the growth of the injurious Saprolegniaceae and 
bacteria, and serve as food for rotifers, Crustacea, &c. The Oscillatoriaceae 
appear to have no injurious effect on the water. The diatoms develop 
especially in cold and shady tanks ; the Chloropliyceae in those exposed 
to the sun. The large floating masses of Cladophora, Spirogyra , and 
* Arb. Naturf.-Ges. k. Univ. Charkow, xxxi. (1897) Beil., pp. i.-xv. See Bot. 
Centralbl., lxxiv. (1898) p. 323. 
t Atti R. Accad. Lincei, 1896, pp. 52-6. Cf. Journ. Chem. Soc., 1898, Abstr., 
p. 247. 
% Bull. Herb. Boissier, vi. (1898) pp. 49-77, 155-88. See Bull. Soe. Bot. France, 
xlv. (1898) p. 88. Cf. this Journal, 1897, p. 568. 
§ Forschungsgeb. a. d. Biol. Stat. Plon, v. (1897) pp. 67-117. See Bot. Centralbl., 
lxxiv. (1898) p. 347. 
