FERTILISATION 59 



and seem to carry their summit so as to meet the crosier- 

 sliaped appendages, and they are soon united two and two. 

 The union or meeting of the extremity of the crosier tube 

 with the neighbouring paracyst was a constant fact, which he 

 had observed a hundred times, and leisurely during a few 

 months. There is no joining of these cells except in the very 

 limited point where they meet, and there may be seen a 

 circular perforation at the end, defined by a round swelling. 

 Elsewhere they may be very near together, but they are 

 always free from any adherence whatever. One thing can be 



Fig. 36. — Formation of zygospore in Mucorini. After De Bary. 



affirmed — that the conjugated cells, especially the larger, 

 wither and empty themselves, while the upright tubes, which 

 ultimately constitute the asci, increase and multiply. 



As to the " scolecite," so called, there can be no doubt 

 that some such bodies have been seen, but their significance 

 has been misinterpreted. It is probably the first distinction 

 of the fertile from the sterile liyphae, and in no sense 

 represents the female organ. 



The above will suffice for the Ascomycdcs ; and we have 

 left to us the Phycomycctes, as containing the most decided and 

 definite examples of sexuality amongst the Fungi. The IMucors, 

 in species already investigated, develop zygospores from the 

 hyphae of the mycelium (Fig. 36). A short clavate branch 

 is produced from each of two neighbouring liyphae. These 

 branches approach each other by their apices until they touch, 

 and are called the suspenders. Tliey contain an abuiulance of 



