AND THEIR INHABITANTS. 177 



the vehicle of distribution is unimportant, the plas- 

 matic (plasmatique) part is alone essential. 



" In examining the reproductive organs of Sapro- 

 legniaferox at first only the (oogones) eggs and spores 

 are visible. The spores are cells sometimes of an 

 irregular cylindrical shape, at others of an oviform 

 shape, as in Saprolegnia achyla, but in some cases 

 variable and in others uniform. As at first sight the 

 male organs appear wanting, M. Cornu was led in 

 his researches to inquire whether the spores being 

 variable in form might not really represent in some 

 instances the male organs. In the genus Monoble- 

 pharis the sexual reproduction has been observed, he 

 states, in two species having cylindrical spores. In 

 some small special spores, more or less isolated from 

 accompanying spores, have been found antherozoids 

 born or produced in the spores. They have the form 

 of zoospores, and are capable of fecundating the gono- 

 spheria. These two species of Saprolegnia^ he states, 

 are the same in their fructification if we only consider 

 the vegetable filaments and the spores, but the appa- 

 ratus for reproduction presents differences. 



"In one species the egg is spherical at the end of the 

 filament, or it may be abnormally-shaped laterally, in 

 consequence of the encroachment of the axis under 

 it. This form of egg is characteristic and sufficient 

 to distinguish it from the other : he calls it Monoble- 

 pharis sphczrica. 



" The extremity of the filament which is to be 

 changed into the egg is enclosed in the mass, then 

 swells into a spherical form ; the plasma collects at 

 this extremity, and soon condenses into a quantity 



N 



