Linnean Society. 281 
scribed by Mr. Brown, and which Mr. Henfrey believes Prof. Schleiden 
to have mistaken for the pollen-tube. On the 3rd of June, the 
author again satisfied himself that the vesicle within the embryo-sac 
(the germinal vesicle) is the first cell of the embryonic body; it 
generally exhibits a slight collection of protoplasm at its base, and 
soon after the pollen-tube reaches the surface of the embryo-sac 
divides into two cells, the upper dividing again and growing out into 
the articulated filament, the cells of which are formed by the pro- 
duction of septa in the same way as in confervas, hairs of phanero- 
gamous plants, &c.; the mucilaginous layer (or primordial utricle of 
Mohl) being rendered very evident by the application of iodine. At 
the same time the lower part of the embryonic body enlarges and 
soon perfectly fills the embryo-sac, the process of cell-formation by 
which the embryo is produced varying apparently in different cases. 
Generally the lowest cell enlarges very much and becomes filled 
with dark mucilaginous matter, and then this is soon divided into a 
number of cells by the formation of septa. In some cases two of the 
germinal vesicles undergo development and two confervoid filaments 
are produced. 
From these observations Mr. Henfrey concludes that the embryo 
is really produced by the ovule itself; that the germinal vesicle exists 
within the embryo-sac before the pollen exerts its influence; that 
the pollen-tube penetrates the coats of the ovule to reach the em- 
bryo-sac; and that the passage of the pollinic fluid through the in- 
tervening membranes impregnates the germinal vesicle and deter- 
mines its development into an embryo. ‘The investigations having 
beeri made with every precaution, and the results being in perfect 
accordance with those of Amici, Mohl, Miller and others, he be- 
lieves them to be a sufficient refutation of Schleiden’s views so far 
as the plant in question is concerned. He regards, however, as 
points requiring further investigation, the question whether the whole 
of the pistillary cords are composed of filaments directly produced 
by the pollen granules; whether there is any relation between the 
application of the pollen on the stigma and the development of the 
germinal vesicles ; and whether the production of the confervoid 
filaments is a normal process, which is open to doubt when only ob- 
served in ovaries containing such an abundance of ovules as those 
of Orchis Morio. 
Read also a notice of a species of Monodontomerus, parasitic in 
the cells of Anthophora retusa, contained in a letter addressed to, and 
communicated by, Adam White, Esq., F.L.S. &c. 
Referring to the Monodontomerus described by Mr. Newport at 
the last Meeting, of which an account will be found at page 279, 
Mr. Smith remarks that it is identical with a species which he some 
months ago showed to Mr. Adam White and Mr. Francis Walker, 
the latter of whom then informed him that it was a new species of 
Monodontomerus. He adds, that Mr. Walker, in whose hands he 
placed specimens of both sexes for description, on learning a few 
days afterwards that Mr. Newport had reared the same insect from 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. iv. 19 
