392 
Notes. 
Sorghum vulgare . — The aleurone- layer of the seed consists of 
a single layer of flattened cells. In them there is protoplasm, oil, 
minute starch-grains, and aleurone-grains which, however, have no 
globoids. No crystals are formed in these cells when they have been 
treated with ammoniacal ammonic chloride and hydrodisodic phosphate. 
In the cells of the embryo occur fat, much starch, and aleurone-grains 
with large globoids. The distribution of the starch-grains corresponds 
with that of the globoids. Hence in this seed iodine-reagents have to 
be employed after the usual tests for globoids have been performed. 
Zea Mays . — The aleurone-layer is single. In it the aleurone-grains 
contain small globoids, but have a larger proportion of proteids than 
in any of the preceding types in which globoids are present. When 
sections are placed in ammoniacal ammonic chloride and hydrodisodic 
phosphate, a small quantity of crystals form in the aleurone-layer. If 
placed in sulphuric acid, crystals of calcic sulphate form in these cells. 
After treatment with alcohol the proteids are insoluble in dilute potassic 
hydrate (i per cent.). The embryo contains oil, and aleurone-grains 
with globoids. 
PERCY GROOM, Oxford. 
ON NUCLEAR DIVISION IN THE POLLEN-MOTHER- 
CELLS OP LILIUM MARTAGON. — Having been for some time 
past engaged in researches upon the mutual relations of the cytoplasm 
and nucleus, during spore-formation, in certain of the lower plants, 
I became desirous of working through some well-known type of 
division in the corresponding cells of a phanerogam, in the hope that 
some of the difficulties which presented themselves, during the investi- 
gations referred to, might thereby be explained. 
For this purpose I selected the anthers of Lilium Martagon, in 
which the changes which accompany the development of the pollen 
grains had already been studied by Guignard 1 . He found, and my 
experience also confirms this, that alcohol is on the whole the best 
fixing and preserving medium for plant-cells, and my observations 
soon became chiefly directed to material which had thus been fixed. 
I made use extensively of the various and numerous stains commonly 
associated with researches of this nature, both with and without the 
additional employment of mordants, but after a large number of 
1 L. Guignard, Nouvelles etudes sur la Fecondation, An. sci. nat. Bot., ser. 7, 
t. 14, 1891. 
