EEPEODFCTI05T IN ATIIYRIUM FILIX F(EMINA. 359 



instead, which led me to look upon them as sporoid growths of 

 a character essentially different from the hulbils common to many 

 Ferns. I consequently laid down a number of pinnae, with the 

 result that I read before you in June, viz. the production of 

 perfect prothalli by the bifurcation of the points of the pear- 

 shaped pseudobulbils, which prothalli eventually developed arche- 

 gonia and antheridia, and finally yielded plants of the same type 

 as the parent. 



At the meeting in June I could do no more than lay the con- 

 secutive record of my observations before you, since all traces 

 of the preliminary stages had vanished when the young plants 

 appeared, and these were then too diminutive for their character 

 to be determined ; they also afforded no evidence whatever that 

 they had originated in other than the usual way, viz. from spores, 

 and I consequently did not exhibit them. 



To-night, however, I have pleasure in exhibiting some of the 

 plants produced as I have described. I had hoped, too, to be 

 able to bring pinnae bearing pseudobulbils as described and 

 sketched by me last year ; but owing, partly, I believe, to the long 

 dry summer, and partly to the fact that the parent plant (which 

 is not under my control) was placed out of doors for a time, I 

 am only able to produce pinnae showing the fructification in a 

 very immature state — not so immature, however, but that they 

 afford ample evidence of abnormality. 



To any one accustomed to deal with Athyrium Filix-fcemina, the 

 first glance will strike one with surprise at the presence of fresh 

 green unripe fructification with, in most cases, unlifted indusia 

 upon a deciduous fern in November, months after the time when 

 sporangia proper have ripened and scattered their spores, and 

 when the indusia are usually in a ruinous and fragmentary state. 

 Here and there the indusia on the pinnae exhibited will be seen 

 to be lifted and to partially disclose a number of curious club- 

 shaped and •occasionally serpentine cellular masses which, though 

 very different from the swollen" pear-shaped bodies of last year, 

 differ as widely from embryo sori, showing no signs whatever of 

 annulation or of the symmetry which would characterize imma- 

 ture sporangia when sufficiently advanced to protrude from the 

 indusium. While, however, the pear-shaped pseudobulbils are 

 conspicuous by their absence, it will be seen that some of the 

 club-shaped excrescences- are. larger than others. From their 

 general appearance, I believe that, given a more favourable 



