ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 205 



and stands straight up from the point of the operculum before it is 

 cast off by the mature capsule. A. J. Grout * gives a list of twenty-one 

 additions to the Vermont moss flora, including a new variety, or perhaps 

 species, of Grimmia. J. M. Holzinger f discusses the genus Hymeno- 

 stomum, 'and claims that H. rostellatum occurs in the States and is 

 practically identical with Systegium (Astomum) ludovicianum Sulliv., 

 the differences in the size of the spores and the length of the operculum 

 being but slight. E. G. Britton \ discusses PapiUaria nigrescens, and 

 shows how it is to be distinguished from Leptodon tricltomitrion, which 

 has been confounded with it. The former is a tropical American species 

 and its record from Lake Huron is suspicious. She believes that the 

 Floridan var. Donnellii, when compared with the type, will prove to be 

 specifically distinct. 



LeucobryaceaB of the East African Islands.§ — J. Cardot publishes 

 a monograph of the Leucobryacea? of Madagascar, and the other African 

 islands of the Indian Ocean. Five genera are concerned. Ochrobryum 

 contains one species, Leucobryum twelve, Leucophanes six, Cardotia one, 

 Octoblepharum one. Seven species and some varieties are described for 

 the first time, and most of the rest are redescribed, and critical notes 

 are added. 



Oil-bodies in the Jungermanniales.|| — A. J. M. Garjeanne gives 

 an account of the observations previously published on this subject, 

 and describes his own researches. His conclusions are that the oil- 

 bodies arise from vacuoles ; the oil-drops lie probably in a seini-liquid 

 medium ; the oil-bodies possess a proper envelope — the original tono- 

 plast ; they multiply in the young stages by division, and when mature 

 remain unaltered ; their envelope is an artificial product, and consists 

 probably of tanned albumen ; the possibility of movement of the drops 

 within the oil-body is a proof of the semi-liquidity of the contents ; in 

 secondary meristem several oil-bodies always arise. 



Explosive Discharge of Antherozoids in Hepaticae.l — F. Cavers 

 has made a series of experiments with thalloid hepatics to ascertain the 

 force with which the antherozoids are ejected, the mechanism by which 

 the process is effected, and the conditions which influence it. The 

 phenomenon is a mechanical and not a vital one ; for explosive dis- 

 charges were obtained when plants, which had been dehydrated in 

 absolute alcohol, were moistened with warm water. With living plants 

 the discharges were quite as active in darkness as in full sunlight. 

 When the plants were well sprayed with water, the jets of antherozoids. 

 reached a height of 10 or 12 cm. in many cases. 



Exogenous Antheridia in Anthoceros.** — E. Lampa made a 

 laboratory culture of Anthoceros dicJiotomus, and observed that, while 

 the majority of the plants produced normal endogenous antheridia, a 



* Bryologist, vii. (1904) pp. 5-7. t Tom. cit., pp. 8-10. 

 X Tom. cit., pp. 14-15 (fig. in text). 



§ Bull. Herb. Boissier, iv. (1904) pp. 97-118. 

 I! Flora, xcii. (190.3) pp. 457-82 (18 figs, in text). 

 \ Torreya, iii. (1903) pp. 179-83. 



* Oesterr. Bot. Zeitsehr.. liii. (1903) pp. 436-8 (figs, in text). 



** 



