I, 1885 



NA TURE 



377 



ition on which the- view is based. 1 

 iphyll bodies and plastids generally are 

 unknown in hyphse of all kinds, and in view of the recent re- 

 al the part played by nuclei in cell formation, we had 

 a right to expect some allu ion nese matters in a research 



dated 1SS4. A, regards the optical powers employed, two 

 1 ill suffice. Fig. 7 is stated to be highly magnified ; 

 ;,.', a more highly magnified pail thereof, is only enlarged 275 

 diameters, and this is the highest power used I Fig. Ja 

 to show "the separated gonidia [of Psoroma hypnorum~\ inclosed 

 in the cellules [of the cortex], after Nylander." It represents, 

 in fact, a homogeneous green spot separated by a narrow blank 

 in the concentric double black outline. Fig. 2a, 

 ! ; Hi ■;], as seen inclosed in the cellules 



of the pseudo-parenchyma, magnified about 270 diameters," 

 only differs from Ja in the black outline being single instead of 

 double; and these two figures are the only ones professing to 

 illustrate the actual formation of the gonidia ! 



So much for the formation of the gonidia from the hyphse or 

 the derived cellular cortical layer. Of the inverse origin of 

 hyphse from gonidia, the author gives no hint ; yet, surely this 

 should be taken into consideration also in a complete account 

 of the lichen as a simple organism? Mr. Crombie states that 

 " Sirosiphon, Normosiphon, Scytonana, Stigonema, Cora, Dkho- 

 utma, Chroolepus or Trcntcpohlia, Nostoc and Glceocafsa (at least 

 in part), Gongrosira and Phyllactidium, have now to be removed 

 from the class of the algse," having, "in consequence of the 

 discovery of their fructification, been proved to be lichens." 

 Such papers as those of Bornet and Johow are in complete dis- 

 .1 dance with this view, except as regards Cora and Dictyo- 

 ntma (or Dichonema), Mr. Crombie seems to be unaware that 

 the discovery of a hymenomycetous fructification in these very 

 genera of lichens by Mattirolo (" Contrihuznione alio Studio del 

 genere Cora,'' in Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital., vol. xiii. 1SS1), 

 confirmed and extended by Johow, is regarded by most botanists 

 as the very coping-stone of the symbiosis theory founded by De 

 Bary and Schwendener ; but their papers are not referred to. 2 



I may say that I have personally hunted through many a 

 Nostoc colony without finding a trace of hyphse ; and there is no 

 record of the transmutation of a Nosloc-cell into a lichen or fungus 

 hypha. Yet this is wanting to show that Nostoc is the immature 

 form of a lichen. So I have frequently seen Glccocapsa colonies 

 permeated by hyphse, which could often be traced to septate 

 (probably lichen) spores, but, like all other observers, never to a 

 green cell. Gongrosira has been demonstrated by Stahl to be at 

 least in part the resting form of Vauchcria (" Die Ruhezustand 

 der Vauchcria geminata," 'in Bot. Zeit., 1879, p. 129, t. ii.), and 

 must henceforward rank only as a form-genus. Phyllactidium 

 is another form-genus, comprising young forms of genera so dis- 

 tinct as Colcochate and Mycoidca, Cunn. 



I have abstained from reviewing the purely critical apprecia- 

 tion of the works of Schwendener, Bornet, Rees, Stahl, &c. , 

 though Mr. Crombie's treatment thereof seems to me decidedly 

 offhand. But I trust that in my remarks on his positive argu- 

 ments in favour of the unitary theory of lichens, I have not 

 the bounds set by the respect all must feel towards his 

 honest and arduous work on the classification of so difficult a 

 group. Marcus M. Hartog 



Oueen's College, Cork 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE 



10GE. — A temporary Pathological Laboratory has been 

 fitted up for Prof. Roy, and it is proposed to vote 400/. for 

 apparatus. 



Downing College has now a capital opportunity of appointing 

 a scientific man as Master, owing to the death of Dr. Worsley. 



Mr. C. Dixon has been appointed a Demonstrator of Mechan- 

 ism and Applied Mechanics in place of Mr. J. II. Nicholls, 

 resigned. 



A discussion took place last Friday on the Report as to a new 

 Chemical Laboratory. Prof. Liveing stated in forcible terms 

 the inadequacy of the present laboratories, which were inferior 

 to those of many schools. He could not classify students ; he 

 had no class-rooms, and literally no provision for research. 



1 The wonderful results obtained by Mink and Miiller in their researches 

 on the " Microgonidiauf Lichens" show that high pinvcrs alone do not suffice 

 for scientific investigation. Mr. Crombie has rightly rejected their views. 



1 Johow's could hardly have reached England before the composition of 

 Mr Crombie's paper. Mattirolo's dates from 1881. 



Cambridge was subjected to severe competition ; a new Univer- 

 sity in the north of England was supplying considerable means 

 of research ; and before long it must be expected that the plans 

 for a Teaching University for London would be carried out. It 

 would be economical to make good provision while they were 

 about it. The estimated sum of 30,000/. was as low as would 

 provide suitable accommodation. The chief objections urged 

 against the proposal were as to the magnitude of the sum in 

 proportion to other requirements and to the funds at the dis- 

 posal of the University. Prof. Humphry made a vigorous 

 appeal to men of wealth, who might find in Cambridge many 

 objects worthy of their munificence. Cambridge laboured under 

 the double disadvantage of being poor and of being thought rich. 

 THE following courses of Lectures and Demonstrations in 

 special branches of Physics will be given in the Physical Lecture 

 Room and Laboratories of the Science Schools, South Kens- 

 ington : — (1) Connection between Sound and Music. Six 

 Lectures and Demonstrations by R. Mitchell, at 2 p.m. on 

 February 23, 25, 27, March 2, 4, 6. (2) Certain Optical 

 Measurements. Eight Lectures and Demonstrations by H. H. 

 Hoffert, B.Sc, at 2 p.m. on March 9, II, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 

 25. (3) Electrical Measurements. By C. V. Boys, A.R.S.M., 

 at 2 p.m. on April 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29; May I, 4. 

 (4) The Chemical Action of Light. By Capt. W. de W. Abney, 

 F.R.S., at 2 p.m. on May 6, 8, II, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22. The 

 above courses are open without fee to all second and third years' 

 regular students of the Normal School of Science and Royal 

 School of Mines, on their giving to the Registrar a written 

 recommendation from the Professor or Lecturer whose classes 

 they are attending at the time. The fee to others attending the 

 courses are : for each separate course, iar. ; for all the courses, 

 30^. Such fees are payable in advance to the Registrar of the 

 Normal School of Science and Royal School of Mines. These 

 courses will only be given if a certain number of applications 

 are made a week before February 23. Those intending to join 

 are therefore requested to do so as soon as convenient. All the 

 courses are open to women. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 

 London 



Royal Society, January 29. — "On the Structure and De- 

 velopment of the Skull in the Mammalia. Part III. Insecti- 

 vora." By W. K. Parker, F.R.S. 



Although this paper is confessedly only a fraction of what is 

 necessary to be done in this polymorphic order, it shows at least 

 how difficult a group it is to handle. For the Insectivora are 

 set in the midst of the other mammalia — low and high. They 

 might be called the biological stepping-stones from the Meta- 

 theria to the Eutheria. 



One thing can be done, even now, with our present frag- 

 mentary knowledge of the structure and development of the 

 insectivorous types — we can assure ourselves that these types are 

 immediately above the Marsupials, that they have the bats 

 (Chiroptera) obliquely above them, that their nearest relations 

 must be sought for amongst extinct Eocene forms, and that, 

 lowly as they are, and arrested and often dwarfed to the utter- 

 most (so that nature could not safely go further in that direction), 

 they are rich in prophetic characters that have come to perfection 

 in larger and nobler types. 



I think it will not be denied that in the ascent of the types 

 the Chiroptera are above the Insectivora, and, as it were, a sort 

 of special "new leader" from that stock, and that the Ii secti- 

 vora are more or less transformed modifications of the m: isupial 

 type. I suspect that the existing Insectivora just yie'd the 

 zoologist one of his groups of types classed together beer use he 

 knows not what else to do with them ; they are not a proper, 

 clear, special branch or "leader" of the mammalian life-tree. 

 They form one group under one designation, just as the poor of 

 this metropolis form a group ; their special mark is simply lowli- 

 ness ; they differ inter se almost as much as the whole remainder 

 above them differ. The higher forms, however, because of 

 their elevation, can afford to be sub-divided again into order 

 after order. If we could descend and see the transforming and 

 newly transformed Placentalia of the Eocene epoch, then the 

 morphologist and the zoologist would find common ground ; the 

 taxonomy of the latter, however, would be as useless as the 

 titles and distinctions of modern society to some undeveloped 

 race of savage men. 



The best type of Insectivore for general comparison is the 



