186 THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE TILOPTERIDACE^. 



cognisable young plant. This is only the case, however, 

 with regard to the monospores of Haplospora^ and probably 

 the earliest stages in germination of the fertilised ovnm,^ 

 but it is doubtful whether the germination stages observed 

 in Tilopteris are from fertilised ova or non-sexual spores. 



There is no question of fertilisation through a cell-mem- 

 brane, or wall, as supposed by some, since in Haplospoi^a 

 limit, "inittat. it is only the non-sexual spores that leave the 

 sporangium invested by a wall, the ova being uni-nucleate 

 naked bodies.^ It is presumably the same in Tilopteris, 

 at any rate naked uni-nucleate bodies, presumptive ova, are 

 discharged from antheridic plants, as already mentioned. 



The writer hopes next year to carry on these investiga- 

 tions with a view to clearing up the remaining obscure 

 points, but at the same time trusts that others will likewise 

 take the matter up, especially those who have the oppor- 

 tunity of getting the sexual plants of Haplospora globosa 

 limit, mittat. in fair abundance, which so far has been im- 

 possible in this country. 



The work at Millport on this group was carried out chiefly 

 by the aid of a series of Grovernment Grants, for which the 

 writer wishes to express his best thanks to the Grant Com- 

 mittee of the Royal Society. He wishes likewise to express 

 his great indebtedness to Dr. John Murray and those in 

 charge of the Marine Station, Millport, for their friendly 

 permission to make use of the " Ark " and its resources, for 

 without such assistance these researches could not well have 

 been undertaken. 



Hearty thanks are also due to Mr. Edward Batters for 



assistance in identifying species, and for placing his wide 



knowledge of the literature of the subject at the writer's 



disposal, to say nothing of kind encouragement and advice. 



1 Reinke, I.e. ,Se_p. Abdr., p. 12. 2 jn^i 



