THE AMEEICAN MONTHLY 



[January, 



are formed in close proximity to the 

 antherldium. In some species both 

 these organs are sessile on the main 

 filament, in others they appear on a 

 short pedicel (Figs, 5 and 6). The 

 upper part of the antheridium be- 

 comes separated from the parent stem 

 by a septum, and its contents are con- 

 verted into ciliated motile anthero- 

 zoids. The adjacent sporangia also 

 become cut oft' by septa, and the in- 

 vesting membrane, when mature, 

 opens at a beak-like prolongation, 

 thus permitting the inclosed densely 

 congregated green ganules to be pen- 

 etrated by the antherozoids which 

 swarm from the antheridium at the 

 same time. After being thus fertil- 

 ized the contents of the sporangium 

 acquire a peculiar oily appearance, 

 of a beautiful emerald color, an ex- 

 ceedingly tough but transparent en- 

 velope is secreted, and thus is consti- 

 tuted the fully developed oospore, the 

 beginner of a new generation of the 

 plant. After the production of this 

 oospore the parent filament gradually 

 loses its vitality and slowly decays. 

 The spore being thus liberated sinks 

 to the bottom. Its brilliant hue has 

 faded and changed to a reddish brown, 

 but after a rest of about three months 

 (according to Pi'ingsheim, who seems 

 to be the only one who has ever fol- 

 lowed the process of oospore forma- 

 tion entirely through) , the spore sud- 

 denly assumes its original vivid hue 

 and germinates into a young Vau- 

 cheria. 



This concludes the account of my 

 very imperfect attempt to trace a life 

 history of a lowly plant. Its study 

 has been to me a source of ever in- 

 (ft-easing pleasure, and has again dem- 

 onstrated how our favorite instrument 

 reveals phenomena of most absorbing 

 interest in directions where the un- 

 aided eye finds but little promise. In 

 walking along the banks of the little 

 stream, where, half concealed by more 

 pretentious plants, our humble Vau- 

 cheria grows, the average passer-by, 

 if he notices it at all, sees but a tan- 

 gled tuft of dark-green ' scum.' Yet, 



when this is examined under the ma- 

 gic tube, a crystal cylinder, closely 

 set with sparkling emeralds, is re- 

 vealed. And although so transparent, 

 so apparently simple in structure, that 

 it does not seem possible for even the 

 finest details to escape our search, yet 

 almost as we watch it, mystic changes 

 appear. We see the bright green 

 granules, impelled by an unseen force, 

 separate and re-arrange themselves in 

 new formations. Strange outgrowths 

 from the parent filament appear. 

 The strange power we call ' life,' 

 doubly mysterious' when manifested 

 in an organism so simple as this, so 

 open to our search, seems to challenge 

 us to discover its secret, and, armed 

 with our glittering lenses and our 

 flashing stands of exquisite workman- 

 ship, w^e search intently, but in vain. 

 And yet, not in vain, for we are more 

 than recompensed by the wondi'ous 

 revelations beheld, and the unalloyed 

 pleasures enjoyed, through the study 

 of even the unpretentious Vaucheria. 



The very interesting phenomenon 

 of the formation and liberation of the 

 gonidia can readily be observed by 

 exposing a fresh gathering of actively 

 vegetating plants to bright daylight, 

 in a plate of water. Usually numer- 

 ous little green specks will appear on 

 the surface about the second day. 

 They ai'e the freshly expelled gonidia, 

 and by attentively watching the ends 

 of the filaments the entire process can 

 be followed through, and will amply 

 repay any one for doing so. 



[We have received three excellent 

 mounted preparations of Vaucheria 

 from Mr. Breckenfeld, which show 

 some of the stages described above. 

 The mounts are very neatly made and 

 the specimens are well presei^ved. 

 They are valued additions to our cab- 

 inet, and exceedingly interesting. — 

 Ed.] 



o 



Preparing Phosphorus Solution 

 and Mounting in it. 



In an article by A. W. Griffin on 

 the ' Collection and Preparation of the 



