444 Mr. A. Henfrey on the Reproduction of the 



Mosses and Jungermannise, for their spores are developed into 

 ramified Confervoid structures, each capable of giving origin to 

 a number of buds producing distinct leafy stems. Therefore as 

 the leafy stems are also capable of increasing by gemmae, we have 

 a process of multiplication occurring in all these generations 

 which collectively represent the cycle of life of a Moss or Jun- 

 germannia. 



Filices. 



Organs which might be considered as representatives of the 

 antheridia in Ferns were long sought in vain, till Nageli disco- 

 vered peculiar cellular structures in the germinating fronds which 

 produce moving spiral filaments or spermatozoids. This disco- 

 very rendered the subject only more enigmatical, until Count 

 Suminski brought to light certain other most important facts in 

 reference to these and other bodies unknown to Nageli, the re- 

 sult of which has been a complete revolution in our ideas of the 

 import of the various reproductive structures of the higher Cryp- 

 togamia. Suminski pointed out the inaccuracy of Nageli's ob- 

 servations on the antheridia, and demonstrated the existence of 

 archegonia, but he has been followed by several others, who, mostly 

 agreeing among themselves, have given an account of the course 

 of development of the organs, differing in many respects from 

 that furnished by him. 



The antheridia and archegonia of the Ferns are both found 

 upon the little Marchantia-like body (prothallium) developed 

 from the spore in its germination. The former are described 

 somewhat differently by different authors ; occur abundantly on 

 the under surface of the prothallium, and according to some con- 

 sist of simple globular cells projecting from a cell of the prothal- 

 lium ; according to others, of a cellular papilla having a central 

 cavity : the latter seems to be the correct view. In this cavity 

 are produced a number of free cellules which are discharged by 

 its rupture at the apex, and these themselves severally burst and 

 give exit to a ciliated spiral filament (spermatozoid) which swims 

 actively, advancing with a rotatory motion through the water 

 under the microscope (PI. XVII. B. fig. 3, 4). 



The archegonia (PI. XVII. B. fig. 1) are less numerous and 

 consist of cellular papillae considerably larger than the antheridia, 

 with a central canal leading down to a large globular cell im- 

 bedded in the substance of the prothallium ; this canal is cer- 

 tainly closed at first and open afterwards, like the canal of the 

 archegonia of Mosses, which it essentially resembles. At the 

 bottom of the canal, in the globular cell, is produced a free cell 

 as in the archegonia of the Mosses, and it is supposed by most 

 writers that one or more spermatozoids pass down the canal to 



