Io BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JULY 
presented in the formation of these zygospores Bainier, in the 
paper above cited, separates it from other species of Syncephalis 
as the type of a distinct genus which he calls Calvocephalis; but 
since there are certain errors both in his figures and descriptions 
it may be of interest briefly to review the process in connection 
with the figures given in Plate J. 
The zygospores of this species are always found in groups of 
from four or five to twenty or more, which are readily visible as 
white flecks scattered over the infested mass of mucors. The 
formation of the gametes is always preceded by the twisting 
together of two hyphz, one of which forms a rather close spiral 
around the other, which is itself but slightly twisted. The lat- 
ter ends in a swollen extremity (jigs. 78-20 y) which becomes 
separated by a septum from the filament that bears it. The tip 
of the enveloping hypha winds about this swollen extremity, 
taking a last turn almost completely around it (as is shown, 
seen from above, in fig. 78). The helix thus formed is then sep- 
arated from the hypha below by a septum ( figs. r8—zg 2), while 
its apex conjugates laterally or subterminally with the extremity 
of the inner hypha (y). As a result of this conjugation the 
spore arises, not between the two conjugating tips, but by bud- 
ding from the helix just mentioned at a considerable distance 
from the point of conjugation and always close beside the sep- 
tum (z). The mature zygospore is thus borne on a single short 
stalk which connects it with the helicoid gamete, while the fila- 
ment below the septum (2) buds out at various points to form 
the curious bladder-like outgrowths which are apparently always 
associated with the zygospores of members of this genus ( figs. 
20-21). These outgrowths are even more copiously developed 
in the zygospores of S. cornu ( fig. 17), but in S. reflexa, the 
zygospores of which do not seem to have been previously 
observed, they attain an even greater luxuriance ( figs. 15-10). 
The zygospores themselves are irregularly bullate, about 21 in 
diameter, and of a pale yellowish color. The material figured 
was found in a culture of mouse dung made some years since at 
New Haven, Conn. 
