64 Miscellaneous. 



the height, the leafy part at the top of the caudex is included, along 

 with the tub in which the plant is growing : — 



Acrocomia aculeata, 38 feet. 

 Areca triandra, 19 „ 



Caryota urens, 43 „ 



The frond is 4 feet 9 inches beyond the roof. 

 Chamserops humilis var. elata, 20 feet. 

 Cocos nucifera . . 18 „ 



Euterpe montana . . 38 „ 



Frond about 2 feet beyond the roof. 

 Livistona chinensis, 40 feet. 



Fronds bent down by the roof of the house. 

 Sagus Rumphii, 43 feet. 



Fronds about 10 inches beyond the roof. 

 Seaforthia elegans, 22 feet. 



Several of them are between fifty and sixty years old. 

 Dr. Balfour gave an account of a botanical trip to Ireland in August 

 1852 with some of his pupils. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



On the Fecundation of the Fucacece. By M. Gustave Thuret. 



The physiological functions of the antheridia in the higher Cryp- 

 togamia appear to be now pretty well established. It is no longer 

 doubted that they are fecundating organs, and that the antherozoi'ds 

 which they contain are the immediate agents of fecundation, although 

 the action of these upon the female organ or archegonium has not 

 yet been observed. 



But as regards the lowest Cryptogamia (Algae, Fungi, Lichens) 

 the question is much less advanced. The existence of antheridia in 

 these vegetables is a recent discovery, which careful researches will 

 probably extend to all the families of this vast group, but which in 

 the author's opinion cannot be established with certainty until the 

 fecundating power of these organs upon the reproductive apparatus 

 shall be demonstrated. 



The author availed himself of his stay at Cherbourg to endeavour 

 to resolve this question as regards the organs designated by M. De- 

 caisne and himself as the antheridia of the Fucacese. He considers 

 that the results of his researches furnish the first direct proof of the 

 existence of true sexuality in the lower Cryptogamia. 



"With this view he has studied the phsenomeua presented by arti- 

 ficial impregnation. Several species of Fucacese are dioecious ; when 

 these plants are placed for some time in a damp atmosphere, the 

 spores and the antheridia are pushed out on the surface of the fronds 

 in great numbers ; they are then easily collected and deposited in 

 vessels filled with sea-water, or simply in a drop of water on a slip of 

 glass which is protected from evaporation. 



