J. G. WALLER ON PARASITIC VEGETABLE ORGANISMS. 349 



It consists of a similar globose coneeptacle with a prominent ostiolum, 

 seen best in Fig. 13, and a radiation from its base of ten long, 

 obtusely pointed sporangia with mycelious threads issuing from 

 them, in five cases fork-like or duplicate. These appear to have 

 about ten rows of sporidia, subglobose in form, two together ; one 

 has discharged these, another partially so. Fig. 15 shows a 

 similar arrangement, but only nine sporangia are visible and there 

 is a breaking up of the ostiolum. At Fig. 14 the condition is 

 abnormal, three exhausted conceptacles are conjoined together, 

 only five sporangia are visible, and there is gemmation. These 

 objects are exceedingly rare. 



The elongation of the ostiolum introduces us to another form 

 which culminates in that of the Italian oil or wine fiask ; at Figs. 

 17 it appears in its most elegant shape, and was found, unmixed 

 with any other, in a small particle of shell from the Galloper Sand. 

 It is remarkable for its attenuated neck, coinciding in this particular 

 with Sphceria ampitllasca, as given in " Handbook of British 

 Fungi," stated to have been found in rotten oak at Shere, Surrey, 

 (p. 876). But as many of the Spha a ria take the flask-form, I 

 merely point out the analogy. This is by no means uncommon, 

 and in one example from the outer Gabbard, Fig. 19, in a 

 mature state it is seen to be filled with similar globose objects as 

 have previously been described. At Fig. 17, minute spores are 

 shown as discharged from the ostiolum. Another remarkable 

 example from the same deposit is shown at Fig. 16, wherein the 

 flask-form is associated with the same radiating sporangia as in Fig. 

 12, but only seven are visible, yet there is no reason why there may 

 not be the same number of ten, and, it is to be noted, that four of the 

 terminating mycelia are fork-like as before. It is the only instance 

 discovered of the flask- form with the external sporangia. 



Hitherto these globose forms or excavators have been separate 

 and distinct from each other, and somewhat symmetrical. I must 

 now call attention to another variation or species, which is far more 

 destructive, if I may use such a term. Its excavations are deeper, 

 irregular, and it riddles the surfaces all over. Minute as is the 

 agent it looks a formidable parasite under the microscope. I have 

 this, as it begins in a few granular bodies, until it developes and 

 completes its work. It has no pore or ostiolum, and has a con- 

 fluent tendency, although preserving much of the same general 

 form as those just described, and seeming to lead up to another 



