1886.] 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



8Y 



die, in the conduction of sap. Now 

 note the leaves oi Funaria (fig. ii), 

 by plucking oft' any of the upper ones, 

 and place beneath a cover slip in a 

 drop of water. They are of a sim- 



FlG. lo. 



pie structure, with the exception of 

 the midrib, and consist of a single 

 layer of parenchyma, containing 

 granules of chlorophyll ; it origi- 

 nates ffom the bulging of a stem 

 cell, afterwards separated by a lon- 



gitudinal partition. Then carefully 

 look out a stem bearing in the apex 

 a quantity of differentiated leaves in 

 a circular tuft ; this is the perigo- 

 nium, amongst which we shall find 

 the reproductive organs. Pluck off" 

 a few of the leaves with a fine pair of 

 forceps, near the centre, and search 

 for the antheridia (fig. ii, a), or a 

 longitudinal section may be made ; 

 but I have found it far easier to 

 point out the male organs as di- 



rected above. The student must be 

 careful not to mistake the pai^aphy- 

 ses for the antheridia ; the former 

 are filiform structures, or abortive 

 leaves, the antheridia are on short 

 stems. Place the anther idium 

 I3 e n e a t h a higher 

 power (fig. 13) . It 

 is seen to be a stalked 

 sac, composed of a 

 layer of chlorophvll, 

 bearing cells when 

 young, but they as- 

 sume a red dish tint 

 b e f o r e bursting. 

 They are filled with 

 very minute anthero- 

 zoids. On another 

 stem, but taller than 

 the last, will be found 

 the archegonia (fig. 

 13) . Make a section 

 by holding the stem 

 betwixt the thumb 

 and finger, and sfent- 

 Iv pushmg the razor 

 from vou, then float out the sections in 

 in a bowl of water, select a few, 



Fig. 13. 



