AND ON POLYEMBRYONY IN THE HIGHER PLANTS. 23 
_ of the embryo-sac ; but it seemed to meas if the albumen origi- 
nated from the peculiar gelatinous altered embryo-sac itself, a 
peculiarity with which we are already acquainted in the genus 
Veronica and several others. 
I have also lately been able to follow up completely the trans- 
formation of the membrane of a simple cell into a gelatinous 
[sulzig] mass in the well known Conferva bipunctata, where, for 
instance, all the articulations which had entered into conjuga- 
tion had entirely lost their cavities, the simple membrane having 
become converted into a gelatine, which filled the cavities of 
the joints. In the upper extremity of this peculiar cartilaginous 
body of the Conifere, small cavities originate, to which Mr. 
Brown has applied the name of corpuscula; they are usually 
three in number in the true Conifere ; but I found as many as 
six in Pinus uncinata and Abies excelsa. It is difficult to de- 
scribe the form and position of these cavities ; they fill somewhat 
more than the upper third of the cartilaginous embryo-sac, and 
are separated from each other by tolerably firm septa, which 
have a downward direction, and which meet in the axis of the 
cartilaginous body. These septa, as also the hardish septa of 
these cavities, proceed in the axis of the entire body still deeper 
downwards, and leave in their centre a canal which extends 
down to the inferior third of the cartilaginous body. But 
after the action of the pollen-tubes has taken place, the germ- 
vesicles appear at the apex of these small cavities, and expand 
into long filaments, at the lower extremity of which the embryo 
is developed. Most usually a single embryo with its funiculus 
appears in each of these cavities ; yet I once noticed three cavi- 
ties and four funiculi in the Larch. In the Conifere, the funi- 
culus of the embryos acquires an immense length and size, such 
as is not known in any other family with the exception of the Cy- 
cadee and Tropeolum; but the young embryo at the extremity of 
the funiculus is easily distinguished by its rounded form, and the 
more intense green colouring of its cells. In northern Germany, 
towards the end of June it has become evident in most Conifere 
which of the embryos is to arrive at perfect development ; this 
embryo increases very rapidly in size towards the commence- 
ment of July, while the funiculi of the other embryos acquire a 
brownish colour and shrivel, but very frequently preserve them- 
selves well to the middle of August. As early as the middle of 
July the funiculi have become so long, that they pierce through 
