HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



101 



consisted in a few of the exterior ends becoming 

 raised up into a triangular shape. 



Sporocarpon compaction. — Other specimens show a 

 gradual development of the outer ends of the cells, 

 until at length all the ends have become angular, and 

 then they gradually change into a convex form. 



A tangential section of the sporocarpon in this 



now known to have been one of the earlier forms of 

 Sporocarpon elegans. 



The next stage in the development of the organism 

 was begun by the formation of mammillae, or minute 

 points in the centre of the convex ends of the cells. 

 These gradually enlarged, and were prolonged into 

 hollow spines. While this was going on, the lower 



Fig. 70. — Sporocarpon elegans (young state). 



Fig. 71. — Sporocarpon compactum [S. elegans). 



Fig. 72. — Oidospora anomala. 



Fig. 73. — Sporocarpon pachyderma. 



form is a magnificent object under the microscope, 

 and somewhat resembles the flower of the common 

 daisy, but of course it has no relationship with that 



"Wee modest crimson-tipped flow'r. " 



This is the form which was originally described under 

 the name of Sporocarpon compactum, but which is 



part of the cells, or those forming the sporocarpon 

 wall, were being transformed into the peculiar hour- 

 glass cells above mentioned, which were united 

 together by a plastic substance that became converted 

 at the inner surface of the wall into cellular tissue. 



While this development of the spines was in 

 progress, the protoplasmic substance forming the 



