A Monograph of the Myxogastres. 3 



" The resemblance of the Mycetozoa to the Fungi is due partly 

 to their mode of life and nutrition, partly to the close agree- 

 ment in structure and biological characters between their organs 

 of reproduction and the spores of Fungi. A spore-terminology 

 corresponding to that of the Fungi will therefore be applied to 

 the present group." ^ In the Myxogastres, the life of an indi- 

 vidual consists, under normal conditions, of two very sharply 

 defined stages; first, the vegetative phase, concerned with 

 functions tending towards the well-being of the individual ; 

 second, the reproductive phase, concerned entirely with the 

 continuation of the species. The above quotation not only 

 shows that De Bary's reasons for placing the Myxogastres in 

 the animal kingdom are derived entirely from the vegetative 

 'phase, but what is equally important to note, that the disparity 

 between the reproductive phase in the Myxogastres and that 

 exhibited by any of the lower groups of animals is so great, 

 while "the close agreement in structure and biological cha- 

 racters between their organs of reproduction and the spores of 

 fungi " are so pronounced, that De Bary was compelled to adopt 

 the terminology used by fungologists in describing all the ixirts 

 belonging to the reproductive phase, and not only the spores ; 

 such terms as sporangium, cajnllitium, cohtmella, &c., are used 

 by fungologists for structures in fungi that are identical in 

 function with the structures designated by the same names by 

 De Bary in the Myxogastres, 



Passing to the evidences of affinity afforded by the vegetative 

 phase, we find De Bary's idea on this point expressed in the 

 following quotation — 



"The group of the Mycetozoa differs distinctly from the 

 Fungi which have been the subject of the first part of this book 

 in all such characteristics as do not belong to all organisms 

 alike, and the descriptions already given of both kinds of plants 

 render any further explanation of the point unnecessary ; their 

 connection also with other known plants is still more remote. 

 The difference would not be less decided if the Mycetozoa were 

 without their remarkable movements, for such movements ai'e 



1 Tom. cit. p. 421. 



