86 



young plant. Here then we clearly see the important link 

 above alluded to, though the gap is still a wide one between 

 an animated pollen grain (antherozoid), which reaches its 

 goal by swimming a fraction of an inch, and an inanimate 

 one which has to be transported by bee or breeze to another 

 flower at a distance or even only from the stamen of one 

 flower to the embryo seed comparatively far away at the 

 base of its stigma. This gap is, however, partly bridged in 

 the Salishuvia already cited, for in it the pollen grain 

 carries the paternal influence only part of the way to the 

 embryo seed and then the journey is completed by a 

 moving antherozoid of the Fern type. 



C. T. D. 



THE LATE MR. JAMES MOLY. 



We extremely regret to have to announce the death of 

 Mr. James Moly in his 85th year, on April 15th last, at 

 his residence, Langmoor Manor, Charmouth. Mr. Moly was 

 one of the few remaining pioneers of the British Fern cult, 

 and stood alone as the discoverer in Dorset, Devon, and 

 adjacent counties of no less than about 600 distinct 

 varieties of our Native Ferns, a considerable number of 

 which were high-class and some absolutely unique. 

 For many years he lived the life of a recluse in his mansion, 

 surrounded by extensive grounds- in which his acquisi- 

 tions and those of others were grown under the great 

 advantage of a congenial western climate and experienced 

 culture, and it is a fortunate circumstance that although 

 his advanced age prevented his collection from being 

 properly looked after in recent years, it was acquired prior 

 to his death by our member, Mr. \V. B. Cran field, the 

 great majority of forms being thus saved, instead of, as 

 is so frequently the case, generally distributed and the 

 identity and consec^uent great interest of such a collec- 

 tion entirely lost." Many of the plants were so old as 

 to have almost entirely lost their vitality, but under Mr. 

 Cranfield's care and skilful surgical treatment they have 



