CORN, ON VOLVOX GLOBATOR. 151 



single globe of Volvox. The germination of these repro- 

 ductive bodies has not yet been observed, so that their history 

 cannot be regarded as complete ; but from analogy it may, 

 in the meanwhile, be assumed that they germinate in the 

 same way as do the spores of ^dogonium, Sphceroplea, and 

 other Algae belonging to the same order. It may be main- 

 tained, moreover, as certain that the Spharosira volvox, Ehr., 

 is nothing else than a monsecious Volvox globator ; that his 

 Volvox stellatus is also V. globator, observed at the time when 

 it is filled with stellate spores ; and, lastly, that the V. aureus 

 of the same author differs from the other forms of the same 

 species, simply in the smooth [and coloured] condition of 

 the spores. 



\_Note. — With respect to the relations of Volvox aureus and 

 V. stellatus to each other and to V. globator, observations 

 precisely in accordance with those of Professor Colin are con- 

 tained in a paper by Mr. Busk, in the first volume of this 

 Journal ; and the description there given of the formation of 

 the hypnospore, in the variety termed V. aureus, corresponds, 

 in all respects, excepting the introduction of spermatozoids, 

 with that above afforded. In the same place it is also hinted 

 that this orange-coloured spore of V. aureus represents the 

 " still-" or hypno-spore of other Algae. It is also suggested, 

 in the same paper, that Sphcerosira volvox, Ehr., " may 

 eventually be found to represent a peculiar mode of develop- 

 ment of the same species." It is also noticed that the 

 ultimate result of the segmentation of the zoospores in 

 Spharosira consists in the formation of numerous minute 

 ciliated cells or corpuscles, forming by their aggregation a 

 discoid body, in which the separate fusiform cells are con- 

 nected together at one end. The important discovery (if 

 confirmed by future observation) by Cohn that these fusiform 

 bodies represent the spermatozoids of other Algae, constitutes 

 the important point in the paper of which the above abstract 

 is given. — Eds.] 



VOL. v. 



