ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, KTC. 735 



Indian Ferns.* — J. Marten publishes a list of ferns found at and 

 around Mussoorie, 1908. Fifty-nine species are enumerated, and notes 

 as to locality, habitat, altitude, period of growth, economic uses, etc., 

 are added. 



Bryophyta. 



(By A. Gepp.) 



Phylogeneti^jClassification of Mosses.t — L. Loeske publishes soint 

 studies of the comparative morphology and phylogenetic classification of 

 the Mosses. His object is to found the classification upon the lines of 

 Max Fleischer, namely, on morphology as well as on anatomy and 

 fructification. He treats of the development of the peristome and the 

 areolation in their relation to classification. He discusses the thirty-eight 

 families in separate sections. In speaking of the Sphagnaceae he calls 

 attention to the xerophytic structure of the leaves, and connects the 

 spiral fibre in the cell, not with any mechanical requirements, but 

 with the rotatory direction of the water-current. The book abounds with 

 novel ideas. 



Phylogeny of the Archegonium. J — L. Kurssanow discusses the 

 phylogeny of the archegonium. He gives a resume of the papers 

 published by Davis and by Holferty in 1903 and 1904 respectively, and 

 then describes some deviations from the normal structure of the 

 archegonia in Marchantia paleacea which he has observed — for instance, 

 three equal cells in the ventral cavity of the archegonium, also a 

 multiplication of ventral canal cells. The latter has been explained as 

 hermaphroditism, but this explanation is quite inadequate. 



Abnormal Capsules in Bryum argenteum.§ — W. Monkemeyer 

 describes and figures some peculiar abnormal forms of capsule in 

 Bryum argenteum. Some are due to damage by insects. He adds that 

 in case of Brachytheciwn albicans rugulosum, B. salebrosum rugulosum, 

 B. rivulare f. rugulosa, Pylaesia polyantha var. crispata, etc., the 

 characteristic plicate condition is probably caused by fungi, and is not 

 inherited. They are merely pathological, and no more deserve a 

 varietal name than do other mosses which are distorted by the action of 

 the Anguillulse which infest them. He urges students to experiment 

 with certain named genera of mosses, and to endeavour to obtain 

 artificially abnormal capsules such as he figures for Bryum argenteum. 



Mechanism of Leaf-movements in Polytrichacese.|| — W. Lorch 

 discusses the minute structure and the mechanics of the absorbent 

 tissue of the leaves of Polytrichacete. He gives a resume of the work 

 that has been done by Firtsch and Stoltz respectively, and then describes 

 various experiments carried out by himself, and treats of the minute 

 anatomy of those parts of the leaf which swell up in water and cause 

 the leaf -movements. 



* Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc, xix. (1909) pp. 179-83. 



t Studien zur verleichenden Morphologie und Phylogenetischen Systernatik der 

 Laubmoose. Berlin : Lande (1910) 224 pp. See also Hedwigia, 1. (1910) Beibl. 

 p. (63). 



% Bull. Soc. Imp. des Naturalistes Moscou, n.s. xxiii. (1909) pp. 39-43 (figs.). 



§ Hedwigia, 1. (1910) pp. 47-50 (figs.). || Flora, ci. (1910) pp. 373-94 (figs.). 



