ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
713 
Mr. J. C. Bay,* on the other hand, maintains that the torsions are 
physiological, and asserts that the position of the leaves is entirely 
dependent on light ; the leaves have a tendency to present their upper 
surface at right angles to the incident rays of light. 
(4) Chemical Changres (including- Respiration and Fermentation). 
Formation and Transformation of Carbohydrates.! — Sig. A. 
Marcacci confirms the statement of Brown and Morris, J and that of 
Lindet § that, in the process of assimilation the formation of sugar pre- 
cedes that of starch ; but points out that the same result was arrived at 
by himself three years earlier. He affirms, however, that the 
formation of saccharose is preceded by that of glucose, and this by that 
of formic aldehyde. 
Diastatic Ferment. || — Herr F. Schleichert confirms the observation 
that the formation of starch is frequently effected by free diastase, 
especially in seedlings which contain abundance of starch ; while in other 
cases it appears to be formed directly from the protoplasm. He also 
confirms the presence of diastase in bacteria.^ In the pure state diastase 
forms a white or yellowish-white powder, soluble in water or glycerin, 
but insoluble in absolute alcohol. On heating it gives off the charac- 
teristic odour of burning albuminoids. 
Influence of Light on Respiration.** — According to Herr F. 
Aereboe, the respiration of Fungi (fructification of Agaricus campestris ) 
is feebler in the light than in the dark ; in the case of flowering 
plants (petals, roots, and seedlings) no decisive results were obtained 
as to a periodical change in the intensity of the decomposition of car- 
bonic dioxide dependent on light. Respiration was lowered equally by 
a removal from the light into the dark and from the dark into the light. 
Respiration of Plants in the Shade.ff — M. Mayer confirms the 
statement of Geneau de Lamarliere that plants which grow well in 
the shade, such as Saxifraga sarmentosa , Tradescantia zebrina , and Aspi- 
distra elatior , display a much feebler power of respiration than those 
which thrive only when fully exposed to the sun. 
Intramolecular Respiration.ff — From experiments on a large number 
of seeds and seedlings, Herr N. v. Chudiakow derives the law that an 
increased temperature has the same stimulating effect on intramolecular 
respiration as it has on the production of carbon dioxide, but acts with 
greater intensity. The optimum temperature appears to be near the 
maximum at which life is still possible. 
* Tom. cit., pp. 251-2. f Malpighia, vii. (1894) pp. 459-65. 
X Cf. this Journal, 1893, p. 660. § Cf. this Journal, ante, p. 230. 
|| Nova Acta K. Leopold.-Carol. Deutsch. Acad. Naturf., lxii. (1893) 88 pp. See 
Bot. Centralbl., lviii. (1894) p. 166. Cf. this Journal, 1893, p. 371. 
** ‘Unters. ub. d. directen u. indirecten Einfluss d. Lichtes auf d. Athmung d. 
Pflanzen,’ Heidelberg, 1893, 35 pp. and 1 pi. See Bot. Centralbl., lix. (1894) p. 182. 
ft Landwirths. Versuchs-Stat., xl. See Bonnier’s Rev. Gen. de Bot., vi. (1894) 
p. 314. Cf. this Journal, 1893, p. 351. 
XX Landwirthsch. Jabrb., xxiii. (1894) pp. 333-90 (26 figs.). See Bot. Centralbl., 
lix. (1894) p. 283. 
