290 H. MARSHALL WARD. 



scription of its capability of producing pathological changes 

 when injected into the blood of animals can only be adverted to 

 here. The fructification occurs embedded in a sort of stroma 

 of hyphse, interwoven into dense cushions, the peculiarities of 

 which need not be detailed. 



The simple ascogoniura is enveloped by a hypha ("anthe- 

 ridial branch"), which soon becomes septate and branched, and 

 forms in the perithecium wall. The ascogonium forms a mul- 

 ticellular core, from which the asci arise. No fertilisation is 

 shown to occur. 



Helicosporangium parasiticum was also thoroughly 

 studied. Here, again, we have simple ascogonia enveloped 

 gradually by so called autheridial branches. ,The author 

 does not make quite clear, however, what are the ultimate 

 fates of the several parts. One central cell becomes filled with 

 spores, but Eidam differs from Karsten as to the meaning of 

 this. He also denies that Helicosporangium is parasitic. 



A closely-allied form is Papulospora, which agrees with 

 the latter in forming the peculiar masses of cells which seem 

 to represent young perithecia. It is difficult to avoid the con- 

 clusion that Eidam has either figured ill-nourished specimens 

 — which appears unlikely — or that some unknown conditions 

 would have caused the bulbil-like bodies to form perithecia.^ 

 Be this as it may, the bodies in question form no asci, but 

 "germinate" like compound spores. The great variability in 

 the formation of the spores and fructification in these Fungi 

 supports the suggestion ventured above, and there can be little 

 doubt that Eidam has opened a question of great importance, 

 and succeeded in showing that variability occurs in these pro- 

 cesses — whether due to conditions of temperature, nutrition, 

 moisture, &c., or not, cannot yet be determined. There are 

 facts to support this, and indeed Eidam has shown this in some 

 examples. 



1 I have drawings of somewhat similar bodies from an unknown fungus, 

 which cannot as yet be made to develope further : they appear to be young 

 perithecia, but they germinate directly, like gemmae, when the conditions arc 

 favorable. 



