Geographical and temporal variation in the calls of the Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus and British storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus

The geographical variation in the calls of the Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus and British storm petrel Hydrobales pelagicus was investigated, as well as its temporal stability in the shearwater. Within-island call variation was not apparent in Puffinus , although male calls were relatively more distinct locally than female calls. This is discussed in relation to the differential dispersal of the sexes. Between-island call variation was apparent in both Puffinus and Hydrobates , but the variation was continuous, and not discrete. Call divergence is unrelated to inter-island distance, and may reflect the influence of coastlines on each species'dispersal opportunities. The calls of a shearwater population changed over a period of six to seven years, apparently due to the appearance of new birds rather than surviving birds altering their calls. Male calls changed more than female calls, which, taken with dispersal factors, suggests that calls are transmitted across generations at least in part by cultural copying. The vocal'drift'over time therefore probably results from errors in this copying process.     

Picrosirius Red Staining of Cardiac Muscle Following Phosphomolybdic Acid Treatment

When the picrosirius red technique was applied to cardiac muscle sections, intense yellow myocyte staining sometimes obscured thin collagenous septa. The picrosirius red technique was modified to include treatment of the sections in 0.2% (w/v) aqueous phosphomolybdic acid prior to staining. With 1-5 min treatment, cytoplasmic staining was eradicated; diminution of collagen staining occurred only with long treatments at much higher concentrations of phosphomolybdic acid. Using this phosphomolybdic acid-picrosirius red technique, collagenous septa as thin as 0.2-0.5 /im and fine collagen fibers making up the septa were clearly discernible. The technique also worked well on sections stained by other techniques and then destained. The phosphomolybdic acid-picrosirius red technique should be useful in experiments designed to investigate the effects of collagen distribution on the electrical and mechanical behavior of cardiac muscle.     

Spiranthes ovalis var. Erostellata (Orchidaceae), a new autogamous variety from the Eastern United States

Examination of flowers from herbarium specimens ofSpiranthes ovalis revealed two kinds of column structure. Some plants, including the type, have flowers with a normally developed rostellum and viscidium; other plants that have flowers in which these structures are entirely lacking are here described asSpiranthes ovalis var.erostellata. Self-pollination in the new variety was proven by pollinia removal and observation of plants in insect-proof cages. The var.erostellata has a somewhat smaller perianth with sepals 3.5–5 instead of 4–6.1 mm long and is more common and more widespread than the typical variety.     

Les effets de recristallisation sur la paroi des Involutinidae (Foraminifères) triasiques

The different types of recrystallization which can be observed in the Triassic involutinids should be considered in the taxonomic treatment of this foraminiferal family. If the diagenetic modifications of the test are neglected the same form could be placed into different suborders. Our inclusion of the genusTriasina Majzon in the Involutinidae proposed earlier on purely morphologic grounds, seems to be supported by the fact that the same types of recrystallization exist inTrocholina, Involutina undTriasina.     

Change in Properties of Physarum polycephalum Amoebae During Extended Culture

During two years of passage, several myxamoebal strains of Physarum polycephalum changed with regard to their properties in crosses and plaque morphology. These changes have been correlated with increased nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid content.     

Markers Differentiating Type 3 Parainfluenza Virus Grown at 25 and 37 C

Serial passage of the 64-2389 strain of type 3 parainfluenza virus in cercopithecus monkey kidney tissue cultures at low temperatures resulted in the selection of a variant which had a higher efficiency of plaque formation at 25 C than the parent line grown at 37 C. The cold variant, unlike the parent strain, plaqued readily at 25 C, and at 37 C it produced significantly larger plaques. Virus titers of the cold variant in hamster lungs were significantly lower and this was probably caused by the stimulation of interferon by the cold variant during the early phase of the infection. The cold variant, like the virus grown at 37 C, also induced the synthesis of interferon late in the infection. Hamsters responded to the intranasal inoculation of each virus line by the development of hemagglutinating-inhibiting antibodies in the sera.