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On the Reproductive Organs, especially the Antheridia, 



of some of the floride.e. 



By T. H. Buffham. 

 Plates XX, XXI, XXII. 



(Read May 25th, 1888.) 



In February, 1884, I had the honour of reading before the Club 

 a paper on this subject (" Journal," Vol. i, Series n, p. 337), in 

 which I gave a sketch of the functions of the reproductive organs 

 of this division of the Marine Algae. In it I pointed out that 

 besides the asexual bodies (tetraspores), and the sexual fruit 

 (cystocarps), there are others (antheridia) which are the male 

 organs. And whilst the last-named by their interesting forms 

 would amply repay the student who would make a diligent search 

 for them, at the same time — being much less known than the 

 tetraspores and cystocarps — their discovery would advance our 

 knowledge, for there are still many of the red sea-weeds the 

 antheridia of which have not been recorded in Britain. 



Since the date just mentioned I have attempted something in 

 this direction as my limited opportunities permitted, and this 

 paper furnishes further examples of those native species I have, 

 down to last July, observed, not including any antheridia drawn or 

 described by Harvey in " Phycologia Britannica " or collected by 

 others (with a few exceptions which will be specified). 



Although exquisite figures of the antheridia of two of the species 

 have been given by Thuret and Bornet I have ventured to attempt 

 others from my specimens, as the works of those algologists are not 

 in the library of the Club. A third example is drawn because it 

 differs somewhat from Prof. W. G. Farlow's figure, to which a 

 more detailed reference will presently be made. Of the rest of the 

 species drawn I am not aware that there are any figures published. 

 They were all made from specimens preserved in glycerine or a 

 saturated solution of chloride of sodium. 



Where the present names differ from those in " Phy. Brit." the 



Journ. Q. M. C, Series II., No. 22. 20 



