145 
matter. When I first examined this fungus, and before finding the 
perithecia, it appeared to agree almost precisely with Corda’s descrip- 
tion of a plant called by him Apotemnoum maculans. His description 
is ‘Spore septato-articulate gelatina immersz.’ It has been suggested 
to me that very possibly Corda’s Apotemnoum may be nothing more than 
the present Spheria. Ifso, he must have taken the gelatinous mass 
with the imbedded spores to be an independent fungus, overlooking 
the buried perithecium. This Sphzria inquinans is a highly interest- 
ing fungus, from certain peculiarities connected with its fructification. 
The spores are furnished with a long cirrhiform appendage at either 
end, which is frequently, if not generally, detached before the 
spores are discharged from the perithecium. But a more remarkable 
circumstance is, that the same perithecium has been found to pro- 
duce asci internally, and naked stalked spores externally. These 
naked stalked spores have been supposed to be a distinct fungus, to 
which the name of Stilbospora macrosperma has been applied ; but 
the opinion seems to be gaining ground, that they are, in fact, trans- 
formations of the asci themselves. I would add, that in one of the 
specimens which I examined I found naked spores in the ¢nterior of 
the apothecium, mostly intermixed with gelatinous filaments, and 
not attached to long stalks. The third fungus mentioned above 
was a Coryneum, too old for the species to be  satisfatorily 
determined; and I only refer to it to mention, that in connexion 
with one specimen I observed in the field of the microscope, a loose 
cellular hood, or envelope, having just the appearance which a cellu- 
lar covering, carried upwards by the growth of the spores, might be 
supposed to have. The spores in Coryneum grow in such a manner 
as to render this possible ; but I am not aware that any such circum- 
stance has been noticed, and the body in question may have had no 
connexion with the Coryneum. I thought it, however, worth men- 
tioning, as other observers may perhaps be inclined to turn their 
attention to it.” 
Elaters of a Trichva. 
Mr. Currey also called the attention of the Club to a preparation of 
the elaters of a Trichia, mounted for the microscope. It was in these 
elaters that Mr. Henfrey had lately announced the existence of spiral 
fibres, analogous to those in the elaters of Marchantia polymorpha ; 
thus contradicting the published observations of Schleiden and 
Schlacht, who declare that the appearance of a spiral fibre is due to a 
VOL. V. U 
