370 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



On microscopical examination, some of the white 

 shreds were found to be composed of comparatively 

 large masses of small, colourless, algoid filaments; 

 whilst others were made up of aggregations of fungus- 

 spores with an abundant mycelium which had been 

 developed from them. The spores were rounded or 

 oval, thick-walled bodies, varying very much in size. 

 The largest of them were about -r^W" in diameter. 

 Some of them were about to germinate, and these 

 exhibited a rudimentary truncated outgrowth at 

 one extremity \ whilst others had germinated into 

 a fungus of the Pemcillium type. In one mass the 

 mycelium had produced four or five much larger fila- 

 ments, terminating in artichoke-like heads of different 

 sizes, bearing naked spores 2 . All gradations in size 



1 Some of my critics speak of this as a 'hilum,' and look upon its 

 presence as unmistakeable evidence that the spore came from a parent 

 Fungus. At all events, such a ' hilum ' is not presented by very many 

 spores, and its absence from any of them does not seem reconcilable 

 with this hypothesis. Other evidence shows unmistakeably that it is a 

 rudimentary outgrowth, representing merely the first commencement of 

 the mycelial filament which ultimately develops. 



2 Other critics seem to think it impossible that such heads of fructifi- 

 cation could be developed in a fluid, and therefore express ominous 

 doubts about my statements. Fungi of this type, however, were described 

 several years ago by M. Pouchet (' Nouvelles Experiences,' Paris, 1864, 

 p, 1 80), who says : ' Parmi les especes submergees, celle a laquelle je 

 donne le nom de Pemcillium submersum est assure'ment la plus com- 

 mune. Elle offre un mycelium k filaments tres-fins, tres long, rameux, 

 articules, fistuleux. Les pedicelles sont simples, excessivement greles, 

 articules, long et offrent cinq k six cloisons. Le pinceau terminal est 

 petit, peu rameux, et produit tine enorme quantite de spores arrondies. 

 .... Cette espece n'est nullement decrite, ni dans les ceuvres de 

 Bulliard, ni dans celles de Paulet ou de Corda,' 



