A Fat-Destroying Fungus. 
BY 
R. H. EIFFEN, 
Research Student of Emmanuel College , and Demonstrator of Botany 
in the University of Cambridge. 
With Plate XIX. 
A MONG some specimens of germinating Coco-nuts 
- brought from Ceylon in January, 1898, by Mr. H. H. W. 
Pearson, one was found half full of a thick white flock 
of the mycelium of a Fungus growing from the basal end of 
the nut. On keeping the nut moist under a bell-jar, the 
mycelium increased considerably, and soon reduced the 
endosperm to a slimy, brownish-grey pulp which gave off 
a pleasant ethereal odour something like that of amyl buty- 
rate. It seemed probable that one of the effects of the action 
of the Fungus was to destroy the coco-nut oil contained in 
the endosperm, so I began an investigation into the biology 
of the Fungus in the hope of obtaining some results in 
connexion with the destruction of fats. A detailed examina- 
tion of the original nut could not be made owing to its being 
soon over-run by a Coremium - form of Penicillium , and later 
by Eurotium. 
The Fungus was, however, easily obtained in pure culture 
from sowings of its conidia in plates made up with j per cent. 
[Annals of Botany, Vol. XIII. No. LI. September, 1899.] 
