igoo-i.] On the Anatomical Characters of the Substance "Indian Soap." 3 



presence undoubtedly the brown colour, mentioned above, is due, since 

 though present throughout the material, they are very much more 

 numerous in the more deeply " stained " areas. With this exception, it 

 is impossible to discover any method in their distribution. 



The longitudinal strands of hyphae are especially clearly seen if a 

 rather thick section is mounted in eau de javelle or potash, and 

 examined under low power. The section gradually clears, owing to 

 the almost complete solution of the coarsely granular substance, which 

 adheres in fragments to all the hyphae, and seems to be the cementing 

 material which holds the whole structure together. Indeed, thin 

 sections treated with potash are almost immediately disintegrated, 

 breaking first along the boundary lines of the strands of hyphae, and 

 then the individual hyphae are separated from one another completely. 



Sections cut transversely to the direction of the longitudinal strands 

 show circular areas of loosely interwoven hyphae, with intermediate 

 layers, consisting of a denser meshwork of hyphae, running between 

 these areas. As before, the overlying brown irregular hyphae are visible 

 all over the sections. (See Figs, i and 3). 



No trace has been found of any remains of woody elements, though 

 a very large number of sections have been carefully examined. Nor 

 has it been possible to obtain any indication of the presence of lignin 

 with any of the usual micro-chemical tests. 



In connection with the large colourless hyphae, one and only one 

 group of spores has been found. They had obviously been considerably 

 compressed and dried up, but were sufficiently clear to show a few 

 still attached at intervals down some hyphae. The spores are very 

 small, apparently spherical or oval in the fresh, colourless, with slightly 

 thickened walls. The evidence of their mode of formation is not very 

 satisfactory, but they seem to be borne sessile upon the hyphae in 

 groups of two or more. (Fig. 4). 



A second group of spores of another kind was found in connection 

 with the dark brown hyphae. Like them, they are deep brown in 

 colour, with thick walls, mostly oval in form, and much larger than 

 those described above. Though lying amidst the hyphae, this group did 

 not show any spores attached, consequently no information could be 

 gained as to their method of formation, though there could be no doubt 

 of their connection with this set of hyphae. (Figs. 5 and 6). In Figs. 8 

 and 9 are shown very thin microtome sections, cut transversely and 

 longitudinally as regards the strands of hyphae. 



