Baxter's ' British phaenogamous botais't ' 63 



he did his share in advancing the science in a period of considerable 

 depression. 



For further information cfr. Oxford Gardens, Giinther, p. 22 

 (1912), ; Gardeners' Chronicle, 1843, p. 560 ; 1871, p. 1426 (Obitu- 

 ary Notice) ; Loudon's Gardener's Magazine 1835, p. 394 ; 1837, 

 p/606 ; Horticultural Register, 1833, p. 33. 



Biographical notes in Druce's Flora of Berkshire (1897), p. clxii ; 

 Report of Ashmolean Society, Oxford (1903), p. 22. 



Much matter for the present note has been rendered available by 

 the courtesy of Messrs. Parker, Turl St., Oxford, and of Mr. John 

 Je:fferies, Littlemore. 



A. H. Church. 



THE MYCETOZOA OF BEDFORDSHIRE. 

 By James Sauj^ders, A.L.S. 



The Mycetozoa occupy an anomalous position in the organic 

 world, having sometimes been grouped with plants, at others with 

 animals. This may be due to the changes of form through which 

 tliey pass in accomplishing the metamorphoses associated with their 

 life-history. In what may be regarded as the initial stage, they float 

 in the atmosphere as microscopic spores. When these fall on decayed 

 vegetation they eventually throw off their cell-walls and assume an 

 amoeba-like condition. Those of the same species have apparently an 

 affinity, and form masses, usually small, of motile plasmodium. This 

 is the assimilating stage, during which formative material is accumu- 

 lated by ingestion. The circulation of these contents is singular and 

 probably unique. The movement is a streaming which changes its 

 direction at intervals of about two minutes. When it has assimilated 

 sufficient material, sporangia are formed, each of which contains a 

 number of spores often running into thousands. These are distributed 

 by both organic and inorganic agencies, and again pass through a 

 series of metamorphoses. 



Except where otherwise specified, the species in the following list 

 occur on dead or rotten wood. 



Ceratiomyxa fruticnlosa Macbr. ; Luton Hoo, Woburn Sands. 



Badhamia caijsulifera Berk. On fir logs ; Leighton, Luton. — 

 B. utricularis Berk. On decayed wood or living fungi ; Chiltern 

 Green, Pepperstock. — B. nitens Berk. : Caddington, Luton Hoo, 

 Woburn Sands. — B. macrocarpa Rost. ; Flitwick. — B. fanicea Rest.; 

 Luton Hoo, Stopsley. — B. lilacina Rost. On sphagnum; Flitwick 

 Marsh. — B. foliicola Lister. On decayed straw ; Nether Crawley. 

 Miss Higgins, Warden Hills. — B. ruhiginosa Rost. On decayed 

 wood and leaves, Leighton ; var. dictyospora, Miss Higgins, Woburn 

 Sands. — B. ovispora Racib. On decayed straw ; Nether Crawley, 

 Miss Higgins, Stopsley. 



Physarum leucopus Link. On moss and dead leaves : Luton, 

 Miss Higgins ; Flitwick. — P. citrinum Schum. ; Luton Hoo, Miss 

 K. Higgins : Pepperstock. — P. penetrale Rex. Near Luton, Miss K. 

 Higgins. — P. psittacinum Ditm. Luton Hoo. — P. viride Pers, 

 Woburn Sands, Luton Hoo ; var. aurantium Lister. Luton, Ampt- 



