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ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



On some pomts in. the Structure and Physiology of certain 

 Fungi, with notices of the occurrence of some species new to 

 this country. By Frederick Currey, Esq., M.A., F.L.S. 



The object of the present comramiication is siifficiently de- 

 scribed in the title given above. Being the resnlt of a number 

 of observations made at various times, tlie paper may appear 

 to some extent discursive and unconnected, but I venture to 

 hope that the facts recorded Avill be considered of some 

 scientific value. Such of the subjects as required illustrations 

 to render the discussion of them intelligible, are figured in 

 the accompanying plate from drawings made {with the ex- 

 ception of figs. 42, 43) with the Camera lucida. 



Helminthosporitim Smithii. (B. and Br., 'Annals and Mag. 

 of Nat. Hist.,' s. 2, vol. vii, pi. v, fig. 5.) — On holly. Chisel- 

 hurst, Kent, September, 1855. This is a magnificent species, 

 and has been well characterised as the prince of the genus. 

 It is described at length in the volume above referred to, and 

 I notice it only with the view of recording some observations 

 on the form and mode of germination of the spores. In the 

 figure in the ' Annals of Natural History' the endochromes 

 are closely united, but it is stated in the text that they are 

 here and there surrounded by a broad cavity. Figs. 1 and 2, 

 PL VIII, represent two of the spores of my specimens, mag- 

 nified 220 diameters ; they vary much in size ; and the latter 

 figure will give an idea of the enormous length which these 

 spores attain. It will be seen that the endochromes vary in 

 their degree of approximation to each other, but that each 

 one is quite separate from its neighbour, and this was the 

 case in all the spores which I examined. Germination takes 

 place by the protrusion of a colourless filament from each 

 extremity of the spore, Avhich filament very soon forms septa 

 in its interior, and throws out lateral branches. There is 

 nothing more in this than has been observed in many other 

 fungi, but it is interesting to notice that precisely the same 

 process took place when a spore was broken into fragments. 

 Figs. 3 and 4 represent two detached pieces of spores, which 

 have thrown out filaments from each of their extremities, and 

 commenced growing, just in the same way as the perfect 

 spore. This seems to show that each portion of the endo- 

 chrome has an independent power of germination, and if so it is 



VOL. V. L 



