Miscellaneous. 466 



Wm. Stark Dougall, Esq. ; part 3rd, on the Reproduction of Lyco- 

 podiacece, Marsileacece and F'Uices. 



In this portion of the paper, the author first considers Lycopo- 

 diacea, in which he points out two sets of capsules differing in their 

 respective contents. In Marsileacece, also, he notices two forms of 

 reproductive bodies, and concludes by stating that there is evidence 

 in favour of sexual reproduction in the Lycopodial alliance, the Ly- 

 copodiacece being hermaphrodite, and Marsileacece monoecious. In 

 Filices, especially Polypodiacece, he points out the existence of anthe- 

 ridia associated with filiform bodies, and of thecae or spore-cases. In 

 some ferns phytozoa have been detected. He concludes by a general 

 review of the whole subject, and expresses an opinion in favour of 

 the view that the union of two cellular bodies is required in order to 

 form the perfect spore. 



3. Mr. Hamlin Lee exhibited a simple mode of constructing 

 aquatic cells for microscopical objects, by splitting across very flat 

 watch-glasses and cementing them to a piece of glass so as to leave 

 cavities for holding fluid. 



Dr. Balfour noticed a few plants gathered at Arniston on the 25th 

 of March last. Eighteen phanerogamous plants were observed in 

 flower, including Pw/monarm officinalis, Lathraa squamaria, Galanthus 

 nivalis, &c. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



On some Microscopic Organisms found in the Stomach of a Peruvian 



Freshwater Fish. By Prof. Ehrenberg. 

 M. Valenciennes having discovered in the stomach and in the 

 intestinal canal of Lebiasina bimaculata, a new genus of fish belong- 

 ing to the family Erythrini, a number of Infusoria, forwarded them 

 to Prof. Ehrenberg to determine the species. The stomach and in- 

 testinal canal were filled as far as Bauhin's ventricle with a blackish 

 oi reddish mud. The river in which this small fish lives is said to flow 

 from the Titicaca lake, and we thus obtain, by means of the micro- 

 scopic organisms contained in the stomach of this fish, the first 

 glance into the forms of the interior of Peru. 



From Ehrenberg's examination of several hundred kinds of fish, it 

 resulted that they very rarely and only accidentally contain isolated 

 specimens of infusoria taken up with their food in the contents of 

 their stomach and intestinal canal, a circumstance of importance in 

 deciding the question respecting the origin of guano. This is gene- 

 rally regarded as the product of the numerous piscivorous birds in- 

 habiting these localities. As these birds do not take in either water 

 or mud purposely in any quantity, the infusoria could only have been 

 contained in the fish upon which they had fed*. This difliculty was 

 pointed out in a former communication, and the main j)art in the 

 formation of the guano ascribed to the vermiferous shore birds. 



* This conclusion appears to us unnecessary ; it is far ir.ore probable 

 that during the process of formation of these valuable deposits, spray con- 

 taining multitudes of the infusoria may have been canicd on to it. — W. V. 



Ann. ^ Mag. N. Hist. Scr. 2. Vol i. 31 



