OF PILOBOLUS. 167 



There is one other fact which may be mentioned before I conclude, 

 viz. the occasional appearance in the interior of the vesicle of 

 small, pale yellow bodies, sometimes cylindrical, sometimes shaped 

 like a dumb-bell (fig. 10). It is probable, I think, that these are 

 young and imperfect spores which have escaped into the vesicle 

 through a small rupture in the septum between that and the 

 sporangium. "When the septum is accidentally broken through, 

 the whole mass of spores may be seen to rush into the vesicle, and 

 the fracture, if very slight, might permit the escape of these small 

 bodies, and at the same time not be sufficient to allow of the 

 passage of the fully-formed spores. 



Postscript.— 1 was not aware, until after this paper was finished, 

 that the question of the specific difference between Pilololus 

 crystallinus and Pilooolus roridus has been lately discussed by 

 Bail. His observations are to be found in the ' Botanische 

 Zeitung,' 7th Sept. 1855. 



Description of Plate II. 



Fig. 1. The Filoholm in an early stage, before the formation of the head, slightly 



magnified. 

 Fig. 2. The Pilobohts when it has assumed the pin-shape, slightly magnified. 

 Fig. 3. A perfect plant magnified about 20 diameters. 



Fig. 4. The lower portion of a plant in which the swelling at the lower end of 

 the stem-cell is less oblique than in figs. 3 & 5. 



Fig. 5. A perfect plant magnified 44 diameters, showing the adherent dew-drops. 



Fig. 6. The root-cell and a portion of the stem-cell of another plant, magnified 

 44 diameters. „ 



Fig. 7. The upper portion of a plant magnified 60 diameters. This specimen 

 shows the peeling off, or imperfect development, of the veil, and the 

 band of orange-coloured matter at the junction of the stem and vesicle, 

 referred to in the text. 



Fig. 8. A portion of the vesicle of a plant which has cast its sporangium, show- 

 ing the eversion of the septum. 



Fig. 9. Spores magnified nearly 400 diameters. The one with a double outline 

 has been treated with alcohol. 



Fig. 10. Cylindrical and dumb-bell-shaped bodies occasionally seen in the in- 

 terior of the vesicle. 



