800 Transactions. — Botany. 



In 1880, Mr. A. W. Bennett, in a paper read at the Swansea 

 meeting of the British Association, proposed the following 

 classification : — 



Thallophytes. 



T r, j ( Protomycetes. 

 1. Protophyta n , / 



r J { Frotophycacea. 



'Zygomycetes. 

 II. Fungi ■ Oomycetes. 



Carpomycetes. 



(Zygophycea. 

 Oophycea. 

 Carpophycecs. 



Then he proposes to subdivide the Zygophycea, the Oophycea, 

 and the Carpophycecc thus : — 



A. Zygophycea. 



1. Pandorinea. 



2. Hydrodictyea. 

 8. Confervacea. 



4. Ulotrichacea. 



5. UlvacecB. 



6. Botrydiacea. 



7. Conjugates. 



B. OoPHYCEA. 



1. Volvocinece. 



2. Siphonece. 



3. Sphcero-pleacece. 



4. (Edogoniacece. 



5. Fucacece. 



6. Phceosporea. 



0. Cakpophycea. 



1. ColeochcBtecB. 



2. Floridece. 



The earlier classifications need not be considered, as they 

 will doubtless be superseded by those of Sachs and Bennett. 

 But even the systems of these two last mentioned botanists 

 appear to me to be open to several objections. 



(1st.) By both, the Phaosporea are placed amongst Oospores, 

 though probably nearly all of them are reproduced by conju- 

 gation. (2nd.) Again, by both the Hydrodictyece are separated 

 from their nearest allies, the VolvocimecR. (3rd.) Sachs places 

 the Botrydiacea under the Oospores, but conjugation alone is 

 known in them ; while Mr. Bennett separates them widely from 

 the Siphonece, whieh are undeniably their nearest relations. 



