574 DR. J. B. HICKS ON THE GONIDIA AND 
red or reddish-brown colour in the cellulose of the cell-wall. It occurs most frequently 
in those found on bark of trees and walls, and is more noticeable in summer and autumn, 
although it is to be met with at all seasons in the older cells (PI. LVII. figs. 7, 11). 
When a new growth springs up, the young cell-walls possess no colour, showing that it 
is the production of age. On one occasion, I saw this colour produced in all the cells of 
a large quantity of confervoid filaments which had grown in water in the shade. I had 
placed the glass out of doors in the sun, and was surprised to find that all the older 
cell-walls had become dyed of a reddish-brown hue, although previously colourless : 
the contents within remained green. There is another change I have observed, ap- 
parently connected with drought, and probably also with a dimunution of vital activity, 
namely, the contents become brown or reddish brown. PI. LVII. fig. 12 b shows the 
filament green, while at a it is changed to brown. That they were from the same source 
was readily proved, by finding the green and brown cells on one filament in varying 
degrees of change. These brown cells separated very readily from one another, as 
is the case in all the older cells of the filaments. The filament possessed somewhat 
the appearance of the filamentous diatoms {Melosira, e. g.) ; and this was more striking 
upon the separation of the cells; for both the ends of each were marked with ra- 
diating lines, which, seen in profile, proved to be ridges (PI. LVII. fig. 12 c). At the 
same time the cell-wall was very rigid, thin, transparent, and comparatively inde- 
structible. It seems to me that this condition is to be considered asa " resting " form, 
equivalent to that state well known in the Algae. Their subsequent history I was not 
able to trace. 
Having thus endeavoured to point out the more actively growing condition of the 
confervoid filaments, I shall attempt to show the various means by which they assist in 
the reproduction of the parent Moss *. 
The first I shall mention is one variety of those modes in which in all cases the 
ascending axis is formed out of the cell of the filament. It is also one of the most 
direct methods by which the filament attains that end. For other modes I must refer 
the reader to Schimper's work above quoted. 
From any cell of the filament, except from those which are concerned in the processes 
to be related hereafter, a branch is produced, the end cell of which divides into two 
cells in the ordinary way above described, the terminal one increasing considerably in 
size. Prom this, many (three or four) branches spring, in the mode of branching before 
mentioned, in a row or verticel ; the cells of these branches are delicate and tapering, 
and have the property of curving in towards the centre. There is also a similar row 
of smaller branches springing from the same cell within the former row, surrounding as 
it were an imaginary axis. From this springs, by gradual increment in the number of 
the cells, the stem of the Moss. The first attempt at differentiation on the part of the 
confervoid filament is thus shown to be in the cell producing the rows of curving-in 
In the following remarks I have assumed that all these various phenomena tend, sooner or later, to the formation 
of confervoid filaments, and through them to the other parts of the Moss. I have not possession of definite proof 
of this ; but, from our knowledge of kindred conditions, we may, I think, fairly assume such to be the direction of 
their growth. 
