ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY^ MICROSCOPY, ETC. 109 



differ in some of their reactions from ordinary starch, and may possibly 

 be sphero-crystals. 



The entire protoplasm of the filaments from the apex to the base of 

 the last branch is used up in the production of the spores, with the 

 exception of the outermost parietal layer, which remains behind 

 between the spores. This always results from a small mass of proto- 

 plasm surrounding one of the small nuclei and containing a single 

 disk-shaped chlorophyll body becoming separated off to an independent 

 existence. These are rapidly inclosed in a membrane, and become 

 the ellipsoidal spores, which contain a colourless homogeneous proto- 

 plasm, a single chlorophyll-disk attached to one of the longer walls, a 

 nucleus, and drops of oil. The spores vary greatly in size, the 

 average length being from 2-6 jjl, and the average breadth from 

 l-5-2-5/.._ 



The minute spores escape in vast numbers in a dark-green 

 mucilage to the surface of the leaf, the outer layer of the wall of the 

 filaments bursting in consequence of the eager absorption of water by 

 the inner layer. Some, however, remain within the filaments, where 

 they show the first indications of germination. Further stages of 

 germination were not observed. 



With regard to the systematic position of PhyllosipJion, Schmitz 

 is disposed to place it in or near the Siphone^e. It differs, however, 

 essentially from VaucJieria in the mode of reproduction and of forma- 

 tion of the spores, and displays greater affinity to Udotea,- Holimeda, 

 and some allied genera. From the latter it differs chiefly in the 

 spores being inclosed in a membrane and motionless instead of being 

 naked and biciliated. 



Argentine and Patagonian Algse.* — 0. Nordstedt has examined 

 algm sent by Professor G. Hieronymus from the Argentine Eepublic 

 and Patagonia, some of which were found in the neighbourhood of 

 Cordobas, in the Cordilleras of the province Eioja, and in the Sierras 

 Famatina and Yelasco ; while others were collected by P. G. Lorenz 

 and G. Niederlein on the military expedition of the Argentine General 

 Eoca to the Eio Negro. Thirty-seven kinds are determined, belonging 

 to twenty-three genera, besides undetermined kinds (mostly sterile 

 Zygnemacese) belonging to seven other genera. The following are 

 the new forms : — Penium conspersum, Wittr. y8 americanum, with four 

 chlorophyll-masses as in P. interruptum ; Cosmarium gemmiferum 

 Breb., a form which resembles G. Quasillus ; Tolypothrix penicillata 

 (Ag. ?) Thuret, /3 gracilis, and some other forms differing but slightly 

 from the European. The alga-flora of the countries in question 

 agrees very closely with the European, there being only three kinds 

 which do not also appear in Europe : Euastrum quadratum Nordst., 

 Vaucheria Hodkeri KiJtz,, and Batrachospermum {I)illenii var. ?) Puig- 

 garianum Grun. 



Swedish Pediastrese, Protococcacese, and Palmellaceae.t — G. 

 Lagerheim describes 68 species, belonging to 29 genera, of algae from 



* Bot. Notiser, 1882, pp. 46-51. 



t Ofversigt af kongl. Vetensk.-Akad. Forhandl. (1882) pp. 47-81 (2 pis.). 

 See Bot. Centralbl., xii. (1882) p. 33. 



