LIVERWORTS 135 



most liverworts, however, we find mingled with 

 the spores a number of delicate thread-like hodies, 

 sometimes taking the form of exquisite spirals or 

 coils, sometimes plaited into beautiful fairy-like 

 chains. These are known as elaters. They are 

 not invariably present in liverwort capsules, 

 though as a rule they are to be found there, but 

 they are never met with in the mosses. A few of 

 these elaters are given in figs. 15 and 16 of 

 Plate IX., and it will be noticed from these that 

 they not only vary in form, but also in size, for in 

 each case the same scale of magnification has been 

 used. When, moreover, it is borne in mind that 

 each figure is one hundred and forty times larger 

 than the original object, some faint idea may be 

 obtained of the almost unthinkable delicacy of these 

 wonderful structures. The inquiry is naturally 

 raised as to the purpose which is fulfilled by 

 these microscopic bodies, for their almost constant 

 presence seems to imply that they serve some 

 definite end. It is of course extremely difficult, 

 with organisms so minute, to form any definite 

 conclusions, especially as the fact that their action 

 takes place in the interior of the capsule, precludes 

 any direct observation being made, and much has 

 therefore to be left to surmise. Hence one cannot 

 be surprised to find some amount of divergence 

 in the reasons adduced for the presence of the 

 elaters among the spores. Thus, one writer states 

 that, owing to the fact that they are extremely 



