52 PSEUDO-ENTOPIIYTA, ETC. H. 



ceased on a level with the extremities of the arms of the U, at others projected two 

 articulations beyond. The articulations were amorphous in structure, with from 

 one to four minute, indistinct, nucleolar bodies (PL X. 6, 7). 



They measured from the j^-^ to the y^o of an inch in length by the y^^ s *» 

 the -J^Q of an inch in breadth, and had a thickness corresponding to the diameter 

 of the articulations, which, on an average, was about the g J^ „ of an inch. 



In water, these bodies had a slight lateral oscillating movement. 



Another curious body, probably a polyspore, I observed several times mixed with 

 the food within the ventriculus of Passalus coriiutus (PI. X. 13). This was V-formed, 

 articulated, translucent, and purplish-brown in color, and measured along each 

 arm upon the outer side about the ^{^ of an inch. It consisted of eight articula- 

 tions, which were amorphous in structure. The articulation forming the apex was 

 a small inverted cone, upon the base of which was placed the second articulation 

 which terminated above in two oblique lateral faces, fi'om each of which projected 

 in a line three articulations forming the divergent arms of the body. The last 

 articulation of the latter was long and spine-like. 



Some cryptogamic spores, which may be taken into the alimentary canal with 

 the food of the animal, may there commence their development into a mycelium, 

 though belonging to plants which grow externally. 



Of this character are certain sporular bodies which I have observed frequently 

 existing among the contents of the cloaca of batrachian animals, the jDlant of which 

 only completes its development exposed to the air upon the surface of the expelled 

 excrement (14-25). 



Generally, the sporular bodies, found under the circumstances just mentioned, 

 are globular, and more or less extended upon one side into a cylindroid or clavate 

 prolongation (14-21). Each extremity is almost alwaj's occupied by a single, 

 large spherical, oval, or pyriform, hyaline, amorphous body, in the interspace of 

 which the cell-like sporules are filled with a finely granular protoplasm. 



Rarely do these bodies advance in their development within the animal more 

 than has been just described, but occasionally a branching mycelium is met with, 

 of small extent, consisting of oblong cellules attached by their rounded extremities 

 (22). The contents of the cellules consist of a colorless liquid protoplasm, some- 

 times entirely, but generally occupying one extremity of the cells, while the other 

 is filled by a mass of fine granular matter, with a small round hyaline, nuclear body. 

 Exterior to the animals, in the excrement, the vegetable bodies under consideration 

 form an extensively ramifying, articulated mycelium, which sends up straight fila- 

 ments into the air, producing at the free extremity one or more rows of oval, 

 granular, sporular bodies (23). Filaments, also, of the mycelium are not unfre- 

 quently found, in which comparatively large globular spores have been developed, 

 apparently by an accumulation of the entire granular matter, as it ordinarily exists, 

 of a single articulation (24). 



All the cryptogamic plants described in the preceding pages are innocent denizens 

 of, or travellers through, the intestinal canal of animals. But, besides plants of this 

 character, there are many parasitic fungi of animals which are entirely destructive 

 to life. Such are the Muscardine, Botrijtis hassiana, Balsamo, so injurious to the 



