382 W. B. GROVE. 



we have a series of adaptations fairly comparable with those 

 "which are known to exist in flowering plants. 



There is also another point in favour of this conclusion — viz. 

 the decided incapacity of the spermatia for germination. The 

 ascospores, to be afterwards described, germinate readily when 

 mature, but the spermatia will not. This is also known to be 

 a general characteristic of the bodies classed under the latter 

 designation. It is true that Max Cornu {' Aunales des Sciences 

 Naturelles/ Ser. 6, vol. iii) disputes this, affirming that he has 

 succeeded in causing the spermatia of many Pyrenomycetes to 

 germinate. But in the first place it is manifest that the 

 growth which he calls " germination " is something different 

 from what is usually intended by that name ; the processes 

 which grew from his spermatia were always short and frequently 

 deformed. lu the second place, we must remember that a 

 pollen-grain may b*^ said in a sense to germinate when it 

 sends out a pollen-tube ; and the kind of growth which Max 

 Cornu describes is exactly comparable with tiiat which a pollen- 

 grain exhibits in sugar solution. It is obvious that his con- 

 tention for the non-sexual character of the spermatia on this 

 ground is founded upon a series of errors. Moreover, it must 

 not be forgotten that not all the bodies described by authors as 

 spermatia are necessarily rightly so called. 



When the leaves have fallen, the development of the peri- 

 thecia continues, although more or less delayed by winter, and 

 is completed between February and April. The mature asci 

 are clavate, 65 mk. long, about 10 mk. broad, each contain- 

 ing eight oblong-oval, smooth, one-celled spores, which are 

 straight, obtuse at each end, nearly colourless, 10 — 13 mk. 

 by 6 mk., and sometimes pseudo-septate in the middle. 

 Paraphyses wanting. Placed in moisture they germinate 

 forthwith, putting out a short tube which forms at the end au 

 oblong swelling ; into this, which reaches about the size of the 

 spore, the whole or the greater part of the contents pass, it is 

 then cut off by a septum, and the membrane becomes brown 

 in colour. This swelling is always closely appressed to the 

 surface on which it grows; when several are together they 



