Notes Hint Comments. 
/D 
Constable and Viscount Dunbar in the peerage of Scotland In- 
clines I. on the 14th November, 1(520. 
PUCCINIA MALVACEARUM. 
In the Memoirs and Proceedings of the Manchester Literary 
and Philosophical Society, Mr. Wilfrid Robinson, B.Sc., ha> a 
paper ‘ On some relations between Puccinia malvacearum 
(Mons.) and the tissues of its host plant (Althaea rosea).’ 
Attention has been devoted chiefly to the intimate relations 
between the fungus and the cells of the host, concerning which 
little research has been previously carried out, and to the 
histological features of the diseased part as compared with 
the corresponding normal tissues. The paper clears away 
much of the confusion that previously existed in regard to the 
behaviour of the haustoria of the fungus parasite. Mr. 
Robinson’s research shows that the mycelium grows into the 
intercellular spaces of the host and sends haustoria into all 
the cells of the affected area, and that there is a definite attack 
on the phloem regions of the bundles. There is a definite 
diminution in the quantity of starch in the regions invaded 
by the fungus. One point clearly established was that the haust- 
oria lie within the protoplasm, and grow towards the nuclei 
of the host cells, and no case of haustoria entering the vacuole 
was observed. 
VARIATION OF THE HAUSTORIA. 
It was found that the haustoria vary somewhat in 
form according to the character of the cell invaded. In 
the cells of the collenchyma and assimilating tissue they 
are generally forked, each branch growing towards the 
nucleus. In the cells of the starch sheath the haustoria are 
much more branched, the branches entering into close con- 
tact with the nucleus. No haustoria were observed in the 
sieve-tubes, though hyphse were occasionally seen to pass into 
tracheids, but not to grow for any distance along them. 
Various changes, consequent on the entry of haustoria, were 
noted. The chloroplasts which were regularly arranged in the 
peripheral cytoplasm aggregate round the nucleus, lose their 
contour and colour, and finally disintegrate. 1 he nucleus 
moves from its peripheral position towards the centre of 
the cell. There is a very distinct increase in the size of the 
nucleus, and the chromatin gradually diminishes in quantity. 
The results indicated that there was a slow tapping of the re- 
sources of the living cells by the fungal haustoria, which are 
able to penetrate the protoplasm in such a way that the cells 
remain alive for a considerable time. 
GLACIATION OF EAST LANCASHIRE. 
At a recent meeting of the London Geological Societv 
Dr. Albert Jowett gave an account of ‘ The Glacial Geology 
mu Mar. 1. 
