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SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
nutriment as are easily transformed in the cells into ammonia. The 
nearly related liydroxylamin, NH 2 OH, is, on the other hand, highly 
poisonous. This substance has not the least effect upon ordinary 
dissolved albumen ; while, even when dilute, it immediately kills living 
protoplasm. In the same way the diamids entirely prevent the forma- 
tion and growth of Schizomycetes. While a 1 per mil. solution of 
sulphate, phosphate, or nitrate of ammonia kills Spirogyra in twenty-four 
hours, even a 10 per cent, solution has no injurious effect on the lower 
fungi. The elimination of free oxygen during putrefaction takes place 
only when the putrefying substance contains nitrates. 
Trehalose in Fungi.* * * § — M. E. Bourquelot states that among the 
saccharine substances met with in fungi there is one, namely trehalose, 
which attracts particular attention. The author has analysed two 
examples of young Lactarius piperatus ; the first was treated with boiling 
water and the second was desiccated in the air. In the former trehalose 
was exclusively found and in the latter mannite. The disappearance of 
the trehalose had therefore taken place during the desiccation. 
Saprolegniaceae parasitic on Algae.f — M. E. de Wildeman records 
the following species of Saprolegniacea3 parasitic on different Algae : — 
Aphanomyces pliycophilus , Lagenidium Rabenhorstii, and L. entophytum 
on Spirogyra , Ancylistes Closterii on Closterium acerosum , and Lagenidium 
Zopfii n. sp., allied to L. entophytum , on a species of (Edogonium . 
Devoea, a new marine genus of Saprolegniaceae.J — After explaining 
the life-history of Saprolegnia and Dictyuchus , Dr. S. Lockwood describes, 
under the name Devoea infund ibulif or mis, a new type of Saprolegniaceae 
parasitic on the scales of Hippocampus heptagonus. The thallus has the 
form of a funnel or cornucopia surmounted by a lid or opercule. Within 
this funnel are produced the zoospores, which appear to escape by a 
fissure in the side. The following is given as a diagnosis of the new 
genus : — Thallus an infundibuloid capsule or sporangial cell, the basal 
end an imperforate point, often a little curved, constricted or inflected 
at the rim, making the aperture about 4/5 of the diameter across the 
face. Fitting to this is a membranous cap or opercule, very variable in 
length and in the form of the posterior part. Inside the capsule is a 
hollow core of somewhat wavy or irregular parallel planes, their inner 
edges making a well in the middle of the capsule. The zoospores 
from these hymeneal lamellae issuing into the well, and there swelling, 
the mass rises and lifts off the opercule, flows over the rim, and thus 
swarms from the mother-cell. Neither liyphae nor mycele were observed. 
Gymnoascaceae and Ascomycetes.§ — Prof. H. Zukal describes new 
species of Gymnoascus and Microascus, and two new genera allied to 
Gymnoascus , viz. : — Aphanoascus , in which the envelope of the fructifica- 
tion resembles that of Gymnoascus only until the spores are ripe, 
developing later into a close pseudo-parenchyme ; the mode of origin of 
the asci, spores, and intermediate hyphae corresponds closely to that in 
* Comptes Rendus, cxi. (1890) pp. 534-6. 
f Bull. Soc. Beige Microscopie, 1890, pp. 134-9. 
X Jouru. New York Microscop. Soc., vil (1890) pp. 67-85 (3 pis.). 
§ Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., viii. (1890) pp. 295-303 (1 pi.). Cf. this Journal, 
1890, p. 306. 
