BY G. I. PLAYFAIR. 



113 



be from 5 to 10 or so, are obviously membranous, some thinner, 

 some stouter, the spaces between them being probably filled with 

 the mucilaginous substance generally found in the mother-cells of 

 EremosphcEva and Oocyst is. This Gluiocystis-iMnditwn seems to 

 be brought about by the repeated formation of a single autospore, 

 with the resulting accumulation of mothercell-membranes. The 

 innermost cell is (diam. 40-60 /^) the usual size for the smallest 

 forms of Eremospha'.ra, while the whole, if spherical, would be 

 about the dimensions of a normal cell. 



Text-fig. 2. — Ghtocystis-iovma of E. riridi'<,{ x 335). 



Morphological. — But besides this physiological polymorphism, 

 EremosphcKva can boast also a polymorphistn of outward configu- 

 ration. Four other forms beside the type are wide-spread here, 

 one of which, var. ovalis, is almost as common in oui- waters as 

 the type itself. 1 1 would be impossible to overlook these varieties 

 even in quite a cursory examination of uiy gatherings. Nor can 

 there be any mistake about their connection with Eremosjjhmra; 

 as autospores, var. avails and var. acuminata, at any rate, have 

 the same kind of mother-cell as the type (the other two I have 

 not observed as autospores), the range of dimensions is markedly 

 identical, and though they may not be found always in the same 

 gathering, a majority of these forms has been noted from all the 

 principal habitats for Ereniosph(Hra. Thus, including the type in 

 every case, at Auburn A and B* all 5 are found; at Potts Hill* 

 4; at Canley Vale* and Rookwood 3 each. Also 4 out of 5 are 

 found in company at Lismore*, in an entirely dift'erent part of 

 the country. 



* All in the same gathering too. 



