84 JOURNAL OF THE [july> 



the rootlets or rhizoid mycelia. On this point it may be remarked, 

 that the necessity for these rootlets is not the same in the Hip- 

 pocampi, and the percoid fishes. In these latter the scales are 

 very thin plates, lapping upon each other shingle-wise, hence, easy 

 for the mycelia to creep under. But the scales of the sea-horse 

 are not unlike those of the sturgeon — rising to a point at the 

 middle like the boss in a shield. They do not lap on one another, 

 but so to speak, are soldered to the epidermis. Hence, there 

 are spaces of naked skin between these plates, and on them the 

 fungus finds place for attachment. 



I think then of this marine fungus, enough has been observed 

 to afford marks for differentiation, and determination from all 

 others. Thus I will attempt a definition of this new genus, 

 and new species. Its habitat on fishes, at once suggests the 

 SaprolegniiC as its family relation. A striking difference appears 

 in the form of the thallus. The entire plant seems to be a cup- 

 like, or funnel-shaped capsule, with a hood, or cap-like oper- 

 culum ; and the impossibility to differentiate the thallus or 

 plant into hyphaj and mycelia. 



But functional features are more important than morpholog- 

 ical, or perhaps it is better to say — in respect of our plant, its 

 jjhysiology is more significant than its anatomy. And in this 

 view I find marked family traits or resemblances. 



1. The spores are endogenous, being produced in a mother- 

 cell, or sporangium with no other organic impact. 



2. These spores when ripe attain for a short time, a few 

 seconds at most, a self-assertive force, when by individual and 

 collective enlargement or swelling, they raise and push or lift 

 off the hood which caps the sporangium. 



3. These sporidia are self-moving bodies, and their motile 

 force is not derived from any immediate communicative impact 

 or descent. Hence with reference to this mysterious vitality 

 they are well called zoospores, while with regard to their rushing 

 movements at the instant of escape from the sporangium, they 

 are called motile or swarm-spores. 



4. At this stage these motile spores are hardly worthy the 

 name of cells. If there is at all an outer and inclosing mem- 

 brane no lens has shown it, hence it can be no more I think 

 than the film of the dew-drop. Their appearance is that of 



