96 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



bearing the stalk cell of the peritheciuin distally and the basal cell 

 of the appendage laterally. Appendage borne on a large basal cell 

 connected on its inner side with the distal cell of the receptacle and 

 a portion of the stalk cell of the perithecium, its exterior wall usually 

 much thickened so as to form a more or less distinct rounded promi- 

 nence at the base of the appendage proper, which consists of a series 

 of four or five obliquely superposed cells diminishing in size towards 

 its apex, from each of wbich arises on the inner side a single branch ; 

 the branches directed obliquely upwards and forming a single series, 

 septate, cylindrical, simple or bearing near their tips single short 

 branches or flask-shaped cells. Spores 35 X 3-3.5 ti. Perithecia 

 100 X 22 /x — 140 X 36 fx. Total length to tip of perithecium 

 160-240 jx. Total length to tip of distal branch of appendage 

 110-166 fi. Receptacle 38-45 /x long. 



On Lathrobium nitidulum Lee. and L. punctulatum Lee. Kittery 

 Point, Maine. 



The writer is unable to refer this perplexing yet distinct form to 

 any of the described genera. In general appearance it resembles 

 Stigmatomyces, to which it might be referred if the successive cells of 

 the appendage gave rise directly to antheridia. The resemblance, 

 however, is superficial, since the character of the appendage is essen- 

 tially different. Among the remaining genera it might perhaps be 

 compared with the more simple type of Ceratomyces, from which the 

 clear differentiation of its appendage and the structure of its perithe- 

 cium as well as the character of its antheridia would seem to distin- 

 guish it. Specimens from L. nitidulum are distinctly smaller than 

 those on the larger host. The species seems to be a rare one, and 

 inhabits the legs and abdomen of its host, where, owing to its small 

 size and pale color, it is detected with difficulty. 



COMPSOMYCES, nov. gen. 



Receptacle consisting of two superposed cells, the distal bearing 

 from its extremity a cluster of appendages and one or more stalked 

 perithecia. Appendages sterile or fertile, simple or branched, septate, 

 the fertile ones bearing one or more single one-celled antheridia sepa- 

 rated by oblique partitions from the extremities of successive cells 

 composing the main axis of the appendage. Perithecia symmetrical, 

 conical, borne on two superposed stalk cells and three small basal cells, 

 the basal stalk cell producing from its distal end a simple sterile ap- 

 pendage. Asci 8-spored. Spores once septate. 



