FOUND GROWING IN LIVING ANIMALS. 285 



appeared to spring, and push through the crevices between them. No roots could 

 be observed, and the cells appeared to come out directly from the above granular 

 mass. I could not satisfy myself in what manner these filaments terminated, 

 whether they bore sporules, or ended in bulbous extremities similar to those de- 

 scribed by HANNOVER in the confervse growing on the salamander. The specimen 

 I examined was already so putrid, and the tubes broke so readily, that this point 

 could not be determined. 



Intermixed with these vegetations, were numerous long finer filaments, from 

 55o to 5Qo of a millimetre in diameter, and uniform in their size throughout. They 

 were very long, sometimes curved, and sometimes matted together so as to form 

 a mesh more or less dense. (Figs. 11 and 12.) Some of these filaments appeared 

 broken or interrupted, although, on pressing the glasses, the interrupted portion 

 moved simultaneously with the other. On increasing the magnifying power to 

 650 diameters, these portions were found connected by a very delicate sheath, 

 which invested them externally. (Plate VII. fig. 13.) 



It was some time before I could make out the origin of these filaments. I at 

 length satisfied myself that they sprang from the sides of the cellular tubes. 



IV. 



Facts observed by various Authors connected with the growth of Parasitic Vegetables in 



Living Animals. 



Before we can draw any conclusions regarding the origin or mode of growth 

 of fungi in living animals, it will be necessary to inquire into what is at present 

 known on this subject, and see how far the facts already detailed are analogous 

 with the observations of others. 



Parasitic vegetables have been found growing in numerous animals, and I 

 shall arrange the facts respecting them according to the class of animals in which 

 they have been found. 



Mottusca. LAURENT 1 has observed cryptogamous vegetations in the eggs of 

 the Limax agrestis, which more or less impede the development of the embryo. 

 He has noticed, 1. That the vegetations arise most often from the walls of the in- 

 ternal tunic of the egg, ramify in the albumen, and form in it a net- work, which 

 is sometimes checked and compressed by a vigorous embryo, and sometimes they 

 entwine the embryo in such a way that there is a struggle between the vegetable 

 and animal development. 2. That the vegetable filaments may also be seen to 

 arise from the body of a dead embryo, or of a non-developed vitellus. After hav- 

 ing filled the albumen with then* ramifications, the vegetations throw out new 

 filaments, which pierce the internal tunic and shell, and prolong themselves from 



1 L'Institut, torn. vii. p. 229. 

 VOL. XV. PART II. 4 H 



