BATRACIIOSPERMEJ3. 287 



upon the upper ends of peculiar ovate cells, also filled with a colourless 

 protoplasm. Most frequently there is a single antheridium to the basal 

 cell, sometimes two ; the latter number appears never to be exceeded. 

 When matured the antheridia open, and allow their contents to escape in 

 the form of roundish or flattened bodies, which never, as far as known, 

 acquire cilia, and have, therefore, no power of spontaneous motion. 

 These bodies, which are believed to be spermatozoids, are unprovided 

 with anything like an external membrane, and are composed of proto- 

 plasm identical with that in the antheridium. While these changes are 

 occurring, certain cells in other localities are being transformed into 

 female organs, to which the name of Trichogonia is applied. These are 

 borne upon cells similar to those supporting the antheridia. At first they 

 are not markedly different from the other cells, but soon undergo a very 

 rapid growth. This is not, however, regular, and is not partaken of by 

 a band of tissue about one-third way from the basal end, so that at last 

 a long somewhat flask-shaped cell is produced, with a very marked con- 

 traction at the point indicated, separating it into two portions. The 

 wall of this cell is thin, but very distinct, and the cavity is filled with a 

 homogeneous or very sparsely granular protoplasm, which is continuous 

 through the narrow neck-like portion. After a time there appear one or 

 more large irregular vacuoles, with actively moving corpuscles in 

 them, and at the same time the neck appears to be stopped with a slimy 

 substance. Careful examination with reagents shows that this is a cel- 

 lulose, and that it does not completely block the passage way through 

 the isthmus. At this time there appear lying upon the free end of the 

 trichogonia globular or flattened bodies, without external membrane, 

 corresponding in all respects with those already described as being pro- 

 duced in the antheridia. The end of the trichogonium generally enlarges 

 at this period into a sort of roundish knob, and by and bye the end wall 

 between this and one of these globules becomes absorbed, so that there 

 is a free communication between the two. Whilst this is 'going on the 

 globule acquires a thin delicate coat, and there appears in it a vacuole 

 similar to those pre-existing in the trichogonium. 



" The first result of this impregnation of the trichogonium is the de- 

 posit of new cellulose, and the complete blocking up of the passage way 

 through the isthmus or narrowed portion. Already before the fecunda- 

 tion the upper cells of the branches supporting the trichogonia have pro- 

 duced numerous branchlets, which, growing upwards, more or less com- 

 pletely cover that organ. After impregnation the cells near to the 

 trichogonium become much larger and broader, their vacuoles disappear, 

 and are replaced by a dense granular dark greenish-brown protoplasm. 



These cells now show a great activity in the production of numerous 

 branches in the usual way ; but it is the upper two alone which, with the 

 trichogonium that they support, are concerned in the formation of the 

 fruit glomerules. These put out all over their surface an immense num- 

 ber of protrusions, which soon, in the ordinary way, become the parents 

 of as many twigs or branchlets, which, growing and branching precisely 

 as do the vegetative branches, soon become excessively crowded. The 

 base of the trichogonium participates also in the production of branches, 

 and at last a dense ball is formed of pseudo-parenchymatous tissue by 

 the forced adhesion of the crowded twigs. The central cells of the 

 glomerule thus formed are very large and bladder-like. The outer part 

 of the ball is composed of innumerable radiating rows of small cells, the 

 end cell of each branch being roundish so as to present a convex external 

 face. 



" At maturity these cells open and allow their contents to escape as 

 round masses, which appear to have no membrane, but begin at once to 

 grow and secrete cellulose. Their after history has not been made out 



