1919. | The Siath Indian Science Congress. elxiii 
respect. A gradual shifting of the archegonia is also seen in the 
other Anacrogynae. 
The Anthocerotales can also be considered very briefly. 
There are only three or four genera in this group and both 
highly lobed and simple thallose forms are met with. Though 
at present there is no clear indication within the group as 
to which form, lobed or entire, is more ancient, in view of 
the relation of the group to the Pteridophytes to be mentioned 
presently, it seems highly probable that the lobed correspond- 
ing to leafy forms are more ancient and have given rise to the 
thallose forms. This would also be in accordance with what has 
more comple es. The capsule in this group is an elongated 
structure which, in the higher forms like Anthoceros, projects 
far beyond a short involucre and opens by two valves the 
very simple genus Notothylas the capsule remains enclosed 
ithin the involucre and has never any occasion to open 
by valves, vet the position of the valves is clearly marked off 
even in this genus. This could hardly interpreted in 
any other way but as a case of reduction. Similarly the 
marginal position of the capsule in this genus has been retained 
from the ancestral form, while the dorsal position In Anthoceros 
is A. erectus discovered by me some years ago. This species 
ascending or quite prostrate habit. In the latter case indica- 
tions of the derivation of the prostrate oat from the erect 
a: e 
e 
with the prothallus of a Pteridophyte. 
Having considered the general line of evolution in the 
