488 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
the pyrenoid blue, and the nucleus red. All the stages of nuclear 
division have been followed out in the bipartition of the gonids of 
Physcia parietina , Anapty chia ciliaris , and GyropJiora pustulata. A similar 
structure can be demonstrated in the Trentepohliaceas which form the 
gonids of Graphis and Opegrapha, and in the Protococcus of Endocarpon. 
The mycelial portion of these lichens presents all the points of 
structure proper to Fungi. The filaments anastomose and are septated ; 
the cells usually contain only a single nucleus ( Physcia , Anaptycliia , 
Peltigera , Gyrophora, Parmelia, Collema, &c.), less often two or three 
( Collema , Peltigera). In the peritheces the paraphyses are uninucleated. 
The crustaceous portions of Lichens are not destitute of vitality ; even 
in the rhizines, the presence of protoplasm and of active nuclei can be 
demonstrated. 
New Substance extracted from Lichens.* — Sigg. E. Paternd and 
F. Crosa find that Lecanora (. Zeora ) sulpliurea Schaer., a lichen which 
grows on calcareous rocks in the province of Palermo, contains a sub- 
stance, which on certain treatment (with melted potash) yields caproic 
acid. This is the first time that a lichen has been known to yield a 
fatty acid somewhat high up in the series. The authors did not dis- 
cover what else besides caproic acid is formed by the action of potash on 
the new substance, for which the formula C 27 H 30 O 9 is suggested. 
Crombie’s British Lichens.f — The Trustees of the British Museum 
have published the first part of the Eev. J. M. Crombie’s Descriptive 
Catalogue of the species in the Herbarium, constituting a Monograph 
of British Lichens. The classification followed is essentially that of 
Nylander, the order being divided primarily into four families, the 
Ephebacei, Collemacei, Lichenacei, and Myriangiacei. Each genus is 
depicted by at least one illustration of the characteristic points of 
structure. 
Recent Researches on Saccharomycetes. — Dr. A. A. Kanthack, in 
a review of the translation of A. Jorgensen’s work on ‘Micro-Organisms 
and Fermentation ’ well sums up the work of Hansen, to which reference 
has from time to time been made in this Journal. “Hansen cleared the 
hopeless confusion existing regarding the Saccharomycetes, by finding 
methods for obtaining pure cultures, and separating and distinguishing 
various allied forms, which, though hitherto included under the same 
name, were mere impurities.” It is only among Saccharomycetes that 
organisms capable of fermenting maltose rapidly and vigorously are 
found. For industrial purposes pure yeast cultures should be used for 
brewing, and Hansen’s system is applied in too few of the English 
breweries. 
Parasitic Fungi. — M. G. Delacroix § records the occurrence of 
Oospora ( Isaria ) destructor , parasitic on silkworms, producing a green 
muscardine. 
Mr. W. C. Blasdale || describes the life-history of a species of 
* Atti R. Accad. Lincei, 1894, pp. 219-25. 
f ‘ A Monograph of Lichens found in Britain,’ pt. i., London, 1894, 8vo, 519 pp. 
and 74 figs. • t Nature, xlix. (1894) pp. 527 and 8. 
§ Bull. Soc. Mycol. France, 1893, p. 260 (1 pi.). See Bot. Centralbl., lvii. 
(1894) p. 239. 
|| Rep. Agric. Exp. Stat. California, 1891, 2, pp. 227-32. See Bot. Centralbl., 
lvii. (1894) p. 240. 
