74 The Mycetozoa, and 



whether they be fungi or plants other than fungi; the 

 agreement, with the exception of the few cases in which 

 cellulose makes its appearance, is common to phenomena 

 which are common to all organised bodies." 



We are much impressed with the notion that the position 

 of the myxie will be found to vary according as the one or 

 the other stage of their existence is held to have the 

 highest classificatory value. We therefore propose to 

 consider what relations they exhibit in these various stages 

 of their life-history. 



THEIR BELATIONS IN THE SWARM SPORE STAGE. Bepro- 

 duction by swarm spores is by no means confined to the 

 myxies. It plays a conspicuous part in the cycle of life 

 in many of the Algas and Fungi : or rather we should say 

 conspicuous parts, for the functions of these simple pieces 

 of motile protoplasm are most various. Sometimes the 

 swarm spore is asexual and is of itself capable of repro- 

 ducing a new organism as in some of the Algae and in the 

 PeronosporecB , for instance, amongst the Fungi. In some 

 of the Algse (Floridea and Phaosporea) the swarm cells 

 are sexual, and a conjugation between two of these moving 

 bodies occurs before the production of a new organism. 

 Sometimes the same organism (as in Ulva) produces two 

 kinds of swarm cells the megaspores with four cilia which 

 germinate asexually, and the microspores with two cilia 

 which germinate only upon conjugation. But more 

 remarkable still is perhaps the case of the well known and 

 beautiful Yolvox which appears to emit no less than four 

 distinct kinds of swarm spores, (1) sterile swarm spores ; 



