Study of D(1285)- and E(1420)-meson production in exclusive interactions by negatively charged pions and kaons at 32. 5 GeV/c

D(1285)- and E(1420)-meson production in ..pi../sup -/- and K/sup -/-meson charge-exchange reactions at 32.5 GeV/c are studied. The D(1285) production cross section is found to be sigma(..pi../sup -/p..-->..D(1285)n) = 4.3 +- 1.3 ..mu..b and the ratio sigma(..pi../sup -/p..-->..E(1420)n)/sigma(..pi../sup -/p..-->..D(1285)n) ..K/sup +/K/sup -/..pi../sup 0/Y. The large value sigma(K/sup -/p..-->..E(1420)Y)/sigma(..pi../sup -/p..-->..E(1420)n)>10 confirms this conclusion about the quark content of the E meson.