146 PROGRESS OF MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE. 



tliG spore was first shown by Pringshcim, who noticed that the jilant 

 is a lateral outgrowth from an intermediary filamentous structure, 

 the vorkehn (prothaUus). De Bary finds that a lenticular portion of 

 the sjjore projects beyond the mass of the spore, from which it is soon 

 separated by a wall. The lenticular portion is then divided into por- 

 tions, one of which develops into the prothallus proper, while the 

 other becomes what is known as the primary root in Chara, although 

 it does not corresi:)ond to the structure of the same name in phane- 

 rogams. In passing, reference is made to parthenogenesis in Chara 

 crinifa, which fact is confirmed by De Bary, who finds that female 

 plants isolated in closed glass vessels fruit abundantly. 



Egg and Bud Development of Salpa spinosa. — It appears from the 

 January number of the ' American Naturalist ' that Mr, W. K, Brooks 

 recently read a paper before the Boston Nattiral History Society on 

 the egg and bud develoi:)ment of Salpa spinosa (Otto). The life 

 history of Salpa may be stated in outline as follows : the solitary 

 Salpa is the female, which produces a chain of males by budding, 

 discharging an egg into each before birth. These eggs are impreg- 

 nated while the zooids of the chain are small and sexually immature, 

 and develop into females, which give rise to other males by budding. 

 After the embryo has been discharged from the body of the male, the 

 latter grows up, becomes sexually matui-e, and discharges its seminal 

 fluid into the water, by means of which it is carried to the eggs 

 within the bodies of younger chains. 



27; e Primordial Utricle. — Herr Professor Pfeifer has lately studied 

 the so-called primordial utricle, with the following results, which are 

 given in the 'Botanische Zeitung,' October 1, from 'Kolnische Zeitung,' 

 1875, 248. Protoplasm placed in contact with aqueous solutions 

 becomes clothed on all sides with a delicate membrane caused by 

 precipitation. This is the so-called primordial utricle. In proto- 

 plasm, certain albuminoids are dissolved, which separate out in Avater 

 because tbeir solvent is withdrawn. But this is limited to the surface 

 of contact, because the membrane formed by precipitation does not 

 allow the solvent to pass through. "What this solvent is, has not been 

 ascertained positively, but it is believed to be something besides the 

 inorganic salts which, in egg-albumen, hold a protein substance in 

 solution. 



The Tyndall and Bastian Controversy. — To attempt to give an 

 abstract of this is well-nigh as feasible as draining Niagara with a 

 teasj)oon. But we shall make the eftbrt ; at the same time we may 

 state that our readers will find all the information that has been 

 published since Dr. Tyndall's lecture was delivered, in the ' British 

 Medical Journal,' Jan.' 29, Feb. 5 and 12; ' Natiu-c,' Feb. 10 and 17 ; 

 the ' Lancet,' Feb. 5 and 12. Dr. TyndalFs lecture contained many 

 l^oints of interest, but one passage from it ^rill give the substance of 

 his conclusions. After describing at some length the form of box 

 which he had selected for his experiment, he says : — " On Sept. 10 the 

 first case of this kind was closed. The passage of a concentrated 

 beam across it throueh its two side windows then showed the air 



