336 



CHiETOPHORACE^E. — BATRACHOSPEEME.E. 



Fig. 156. 



an active spontaneous motion, and therefore coiTesponding precisely 

 to the Antherozoids of the truly sexual Protophytes. 



252. The Chcc.tophoracece constitute another beautiful and inte- 

 resting little group of Confervoid plants, of which some species 

 inhabit the Sea, whilst others are found in Fresh and pure water 

 . — rather in that of gently-moving streams, however, than in 

 strongly-flowing currents. Generally speaking, their filaments put 

 forth lateral branches, and extend themselves into arborescent 

 fronds ; and one of the distinctive characters of the group is afforded 

 by the fact, that the extremities of these branches are usually pro- 

 longed into bristle-shaped processes (Fig. 156). As in many pre- 

 ceding cases, these plants nmltiply themselves by the conversion 



of the Endochrome 

 of certain of their 

 cells into Zoospores ; 

 and these, when 

 set free, are seen 

 to be furnished 

 with four large 

 cilia. ' Resting - 

 spores ' have also 

 been seen in many 

 species ; and it 

 is probable that 

 these, as in Con- 

 fervaceae, are really 

 Oo-spores, that is, 

 are generative pro- 

 ducts of the fertili- 

 zation of the con- 

 tents of Germ -eel Is 

 by Antherozoids 

 developed within 

 Sperm-cells(§250). 

 253. Nearly al- 

 lied to the pre- 

 ceding are the 

 Batrachospermece, 

 whose name is in- 

 dicative of the 

 strong resemblance 

 which their beaded 

 filaments bear to 

 frog-spawn ; these 

 exhibit a some- 

 what greater com- 

 plexity of structure, and afford objects of extreme beauty to 

 the Microscopist (Fig. 157). The plants of this family are all 



Branches of Chcetophora elegant, in the act of 

 discharging ciliated Zoospores, which are seen, as 

 in motion, on the right. 



