16 A Monograph of the Myxogastres. 



Wingate, of Philadelphia., sent along with other Myxogastres, 

 a specimen with the following comment — 



" No. 25. Is the teratological result of an amour between 

 the Plasmodium of Arcyria punicea and that of Arcyria cmcrea. 

 It gives a point as to the absolute autonomy of plasmodia." 



In reply to further inquiry respecting the supposed hybrid, 

 Mr. Wingate writes, "The Arcyria hybrid is not doubtful. 

 Two patches of Arcyria, punicea and cinerca, grew on the same 

 log, side by side ; where the two came together the plasmodia 

 fused and produced the result I sent." The specimen is 

 extremely interesting, different individuals varying to a con- 

 siderable extent in the relative resemblance to one or other 

 of the parent forms. For the production of a hybrid, it is 

 assumed that conjugation — or its physiological equivalent — 

 had taken place between the cells of the two parent forms. 

 The significance of the possibility of hybrid forms occurring in 

 nature may eventually qualify to some extent present ideas as 

 to '■' species." 



Zopf ^ has recently investigated the Myxogastres, more especi- 

 ally from the biological side, but so far as I can ascertain, does 

 not express himself definitely as to their animal or vegetable 

 nature. 



Mr. Saville Kent ^ espoused De Bary's view as to the animal 

 nature of the Myxogastres, and suggested their affinity with the 

 sponges. The two principal reasons given as favouring their 

 exclusion from the vegetable kingdom are — (1) first product of 

 spore germination, bodies capable of spontaneous movement; 

 (2) presence of crystals of lime in substance of cell- walls. The 

 first objection proves nothing at all, and the second, if any- 

 thing, how little Mr. Kent knew about plant morphology. 



Dr. R. Hesse has recently announced ^ that the members of 



^ Die Pilzthiere oder Schleimpilze. Sclienck's Handb. dcr Bot., vol. iii. 



2 A Manual of the Infusoria. 



3 Bot. Centralbl, xx.wiii. (1889), pp. 518-20, 553-7. 



