Halicystis and Valoma. 5 i 



the great mother-cell, and in this process I have discovered various stages 

 in different specimens. It evidently proceeds slowly, and is not a 

 simultaneous act, since in some specimens comparatively few cells are 

 to be found, while a considerable amount of free protoplasm remains, and 

 in others the cells are very numerous, while mere traces of free protoplasm 

 are left over. They are, moreover, of various sizes, and, while generally 

 round, odd forms are to be met with (plate XIIL, fig. 8, b, c,d), dumb-bell 

 shaped in varying degree, and others suggesting a process of sprouting in 

 yeast fashion. Their membranes vary slightly in thickness. They occur, 

 not only within the great mother-cell cavity, but even in the rhizoids 

 and the small. marginal cells from which these spring. 



I observed these bodies not only alive in Grenada, but have frequently 

 studied them since in the preserved material. Dr. Schmitz, to whom I 

 sent specimens in spirit, has been good enough to confirm my observations 

 in every detail, and to suggest that possibly they are abnormal repro- 

 ductive bodies produced by slight accident to the plant in being gathered, 

 as he has observed a similar case in SipJionodadus Wilbergi ( Vielkernige 

 Zellen der Siplionoclad., p. 33), or it may be by too strong illumination, as in 

 the formation of aplanospores in Botrydium. My own view of the matter 

 is simply that they are the normal reproductive organs of Valonia (a 

 possibility not excluded by any means by Dr. Schmitz also) for the 

 reason that I could find no support for the view that they are abnormal. 

 Not only do they occur in all the specimens I have examined, both from 

 Grenada (several localities) and from Bermuda, but I have seen them in 

 the condition described shortly after their removal from the water, before 

 accident, if it had occurred, could well have had time to operate in this 

 fashion. That they are not the result of strong illumination is plain from 

 the fact that they occur in specimens buried among the rhizoids of Avrain- 

 villea in coral-sand under five fathoms water. On the other hand, 

 their irregularity in size and shape favours the view of their abnormality, 

 but their variation in size may be accounted for by their gradual formation, 

 as mentioned above, and the exceptional forms in point of shape may 

 be explained by the slight abnormality of unequal division of the proto- 

 plasm in the process of their formation. 



Attempts to cultivate them were unsuccessful under the circumstances 

 of my position in Grenada, though in one instance I observed the same 

 cells unchanged for several successive days. As the plant is not a rare 

 one in the West Indies, and its condition as described frequent, further 

 inquiry into the development of these reproductive bodies ought not to 



present serious difficulty. 



GEORGE MURRAY. 





