BihJiographical Notice. 79 



I must remark in conclusion that the very perfect specimen 

 that I have just described prol^ablj represents a spike of fruc- 

 tification which had not reached its last degree of development. 

 Two facts seem to indicate this : 1, the microspores, in nearly 

 all the sporangia which contain them, are immersed in the 

 midst of a granular opaque matter, in which they show by 

 transparency, and which has the appearance of the cellular 

 plasma that surrounds these organs before their maturity ; 

 and, 2, the vessels, which form very distinct bundles in the 

 axis of the cone, only present transverse striae or scarcely dis- 

 tinct rings, and not the strongly marked streaks of adult 

 scalariform vessels. 



This want of maturity has perhaps been favourable to the 

 integrity of these fossils ; but it is possible, and even probable, 

 that the microspores and macrospores, when their development 

 is complete, would present some differences which must not 

 be regarded as arising from a really distinct organization. 

 Some of the spores composing the triple microspore already 

 appear disposed to become isolated, and would probably ac- 

 quire the trigonal form indicated by J. Hooker for the spores 

 of Lepidostrohus. Some of the macrospores also seem to pre- 

 sent in their interior a more complex organization, which 

 would indicate a tendency towards the form with a trigonal 

 apex of the macrospores of Isoetes. 



Fresh specimens, even mere fragments, but at a different 

 degree of development, will perhaps hereafter complete our 

 knowledge of this subject ; but from this day forth the exist- 

 ence of these gigantic Lycopodiaceae, showing a still more 

 complete relationship to certain existing forms of this family, 

 is established indubitably. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. 



Ohservationes circa Pezizas Fennia). Scrii3sit William Ntlander. 

 Accedunt tabulse II. lithographicse. 



The above treatise has been called forth by the work of Karsten 

 entitled ' Expositio Pezizarum sibi eognitarum Fenniae/ concerning 

 which Prof. Nylander observes that the characters given are, for the 

 most part, mere transcripts of those of Fries in the ' Systema Myco- 

 logicum,' with the addition of some occasional and vague remarks 

 on the fruit. The author considers M. Karsten to have neglected the 

 means he had at his disposal of verifying the species he describes, 

 in not consulting collections of published specimens, such as those of 

 Mougeot, Desmaziere, and Rabenhorst, and states that he has him- 

 self acquired a more accurate knowledge of the subject from study- 

 ing the specimens contained in the Museum of the Society for the 



