270 PROGRESS OF MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE. 



leaves the stomach. The secretion of the Malpighian tubes exerts no 

 action on the albuminoid, starchy, or fatty matters. It contains uric 

 acid and urates, and is, in all likelihood, wholly excrementitious. 



A New Classification of Cryptogams has been proposed by Professor 

 J. Sachs, and is partly given in the botanical notes of the ' American 

 Naturalist ' (March). — Professor Sachs proposes a new classification of 

 the lowest section of cryptogams, which he distinguishes as Thallo- 

 phytes, including the classes, hitherto considered distinct, of Algae, 

 Fungi, Lichens, and Characeos. He divides the section into four 

 classes, each consisting of two parallel series, the one containing 

 chlorophyll and commonly known as Algse (including Characeae) ; 

 the other destitute of chlorophyll and commonly known as Fungi 

 (including Lichens). The classes are as follows : — Class 1. Peoto- 

 PHYTA. This class comprises the simplest known forms of vegetable 

 life, unicellular, or the cells connected into filacaents, rarely into 

 more complicated tissues ; no mode of sexual reproduction is known. 

 To the chlorophyll-containing series belong the Chroococcacece, Nosto- 

 cacece, Oscillator iece, Bivtilariacece, Scytonemece, and the Palmellacece (in 

 part) ; to that destitute of chlorophyll the Schizomycetes (bacteria) and 

 Saccharomyces (yeast). Class 2. Zygospores. Asexual proi^agation 

 various ; sexual propagation by means of zygospores, the result of a 

 process of conjugation. This is divided into two sections. In the 

 first the conjugating cells are locomotive, as in the Volvocinem and 

 Hydrodictyece (containing chlorophyll), and the Myxomycetes (destitute 

 of chlorophyll) ; the second section includes the forms in which the 

 conjugating cells are stationary, namely, in the first series the 

 Conjugatce (comjirising the Mesocarpece, Zygnemece, Desmidiece, and 

 Diatomacece) ; in the second series the Zygomycetes (comprising the 

 ' Mucorini and Fiptoceplialidce). Class 3. Oospoees. Reproduction by 

 oogonia, containing an oosphore or embryonic cell, becoming an 

 oospore or resting spore by the act of impregnation. In the series 

 containing chlorophyll are Splioeroplece, Vaucheyia, the CEdogoniece, and 

 Fucacece ; in the series destitute of chlorophyll the Saprolegniece and 

 Peronosporece. Class 4, CAKPOSPOEEiE. A distinct organ, or " sporo- 

 carp," results from the process of the fertilization of the female organ, 

 or carpogonium. In the first series are the Coleochcetece, Floridece, and 

 Characece ; in the second, the Ascomycetes (including Lichens), ^ci- 

 diomycetes, and Basidiomycetes. This classification of the lower cryp- 

 togams appears to be founded on sounder principles and a more 

 thorough knowledge of their structure, and especially their mode of 

 reproduction, than any hitherto proposed. 



Characters of the Slime of Phosphorescent Fish. — It is stated by 

 E. F. Pfliiger,* after giving some observations on the relative phos- 

 phorescence of fresh-water and salt-water fish, that the microscopic 

 structure of the slime covering the bodies of phosphorescent fish 

 was then investigated. It was found to consist of lower organisms, the 

 so-called schizomycetes, which are the proper luminous materials. 



* Pfliiger's ' Archiv,' xi. 



