146 Transactions of the 



but sufficient has been said to prove the correctness of Mr. Slack's 

 remark, that the plant " is of undoubted interest." 



In Fig. 4, which is regarded as a very young plant, are seen the 

 following parts : a collapsed, dark-brown globular cell, furnishing a 

 short, curved, simply-branched tube, having at the end of one of the 

 branches a globular receptacle, and at the other end a short myce- 

 lium thread, to which apparently is connected a somewhat collapsed 

 oblong cell ; whilst at the lower part of the figure is seen an 

 obovoid cell with a longer tube, which doubtless joins the mycelium 

 branch of the round and oblong cells. At the bend of the first, or 

 supposed primary tube, may be noticed two fine rootlets passing 

 into the attached mass of vegetable debris. 



Fig. 5 is apparently an entire plant, which from its appearance 

 is questionable whether it belongs to this species ; the tubular por- 

 tion is septate. 



Fig. 6 represents one of two small reddish cells with dark out- 

 lines, found in the examinations ; but whether they should be 

 regarded as ripe winter-germ cells of the plant, or ova of some 

 rotifer or infusorian, it is difficult to say. There was apparently a 

 small nuclear-looking body in one. 



Fig. 7 is from a contorted receptacle intermediate in size between 

 the cells of the entire plant of Fig. 1, and the larger cells given in 

 Figs. 2 and 3 ; it was found as drawn, disjointed ; the globular part 

 contained small granular bodies, and the outside investment had 

 broken up to a certain extent on part of the surface. Whether the 

 contorted portion under further development would have become a 

 supposed antheroidal cell, or is such undeveloped, or whether it only 

 forms part of the tube of the receptacle widened out, must be left 

 undecided. 



The examinations have induced me to place this little plant 

 rather with Botrydium than with Yaucheria, from its closer resem- 

 blance to the former, yet possibly it may not be new to other ob- 

 servers, from whom may it be hoped, further information may be 

 obtained than is given in this imperfect sketch, 



" To win but such a form, as thou mightst love to look upon." 



Since writing the foregoing remarks, through the kindness of Miss Davies, 

 some of the fresh moss was obtained, just after the last heavy fall of snow, from 

 the bank within a few yards of the spring. Upon a very careful examination of 

 the attached soil and of the lower part of the plants after gentle washing, likewise 

 after placing some of the moss and the soil in weak aoid, only two small globular 

 heads of the little plant, each (enclosing in the centre an opaque dark spore- 

 looking body) attached to very long irregular unbranched mycelium threads or 

 tubes, were found. Each plant had quite a decayed appearance. The autumn 

 may furnish a better chance of finding recent specimens. The writer is indebted 

 to Dr. Braitliwaite for kindly naming the fresh specimen of moss, "Hypnum 

 commutation." Probably the incrustations were formed over the same kind of moss. 



