io: 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



nucleus of the sporocarpon was being gradually 

 transformed into round spore-like cells. This is the 

 form first described under the name of Sporocarpon 

 elegans. 



When the organism reached maturity, probably all 

 the cells forming the sporocarpon wall were converted 

 into spines, which soon after appear to have become 

 very brittle, and to have broken off easily, or become 

 detached ; in consequence of this, specimens with fully 

 matured protoplasmic cells seldom have many spines 

 attached. Such specimens, however, show most 

 clearly the structure of the sporocarpon wall and the 

 peculiar character of the " bottle-neck," or hour-glass 

 cells, and their connection with the spines. 



We have not the least idea as to the parent-plants 

 to which these beautiful organisms belonged. Whether 

 they may prove to have been one of the numerous 



Sporocarpon clcgans, yet it is as perfectly formed as 

 any of the larger organisms. 



It has a round body, to which are attached a number 

 of thin membraneous appendages, which very much 

 resemble the petals of some of the more delicate 

 flowers. In the transverse sections of my specimens 

 there are twelve of these petal-like expansions 

 surrounding the body of the organism. They are 

 perfectly free, being only attached to the body by 

 their bases, while their edges are frequently seen to 

 overlap one another. The wall of the spore is thin, 

 and apparently divided into seven segments (as seen 

 in transverse sections), which is quite a different 

 feature to what obtains in any known stage of Sporo- 

 carpon clcgans. As stated above, the spore wall, in 

 the earliest known state of the latter organism, is a 

 massive structure formed of brick-like cells, firmly 



Fig. 74. — S poroscarpon asteroides. 



forms of spores, and originally enclosed in the 

 sporangia belonging to the cone of some unknown 

 form of Lepidodendroid plant, or they are true 

 seeds, is at present unknown. But judging from what 

 we know of certain similar organisms, the former is 

 more likely to have been the case. 



Oidospora anomala. — This is a very minute, but 

 very pretty organism, and bears some resemblance to 

 Sporocarpoti compactum, and on that account it has 

 been suggested that it may have been the very 

 young state of that organism. But for several reasons 

 I cannot accept this conclusion, one of them being on 

 account of its great rarity. The main objection to 

 that suggestion is the great difference in structure 

 between the two objects. Notwithstanding the fact 

 that Oidospora anomala is one of the smallest 

 organisms we met with, being even smaller than 

 many of the protoplasmic cells seen in the interior of 



united to one another; it seems to me, therefore, 

 highly improbable that structures so radically different 

 as these could belong to one organism. It is, however, 

 much more easy to say what they are not like, than 

 to form an opinion to what class these organisms 

 really do belong. 



Sporocarpon asteroides. — This is another peculiar 

 seed-like object, and about the same in size as 6". 

 elegans, but much more variable in its leading out- 

 lines. It has a central nucleus, which is enveloped in 

 two membraneous coatings. The sporocarpon wall is 

 a comparatively thin structureless layer. This is 

 surrounded by a fleshy mass of cellular tissue, that 

 ends out a number of triangular arms. In the true 

 transverse section there are six of these arms (fig. 74), 

 which gives the organism that star-like appearance 

 from which it derives its specific name of aste- 

 roides. It is a very rare sporocarpon, and has 



