SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



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seashores a chance is given to all near the sea to 

 observe it carefully and easily. In Cutlcria we 

 have yet to find out how the thallus arises from the 

 straggling shoots which spring from the oospore : 

 It has been suggested that it does so from ciliated 

 naked cells, but no satisfactory proof of this is 

 forthcoming. Even the Fuci are unknown to us in 

 this respect also ; theories are constantly being 

 brought forward, only to be considered wrong. 



Passing on to our fungi, most of us are aware 

 that there is a degeneration of sexual organs, such 

 as is sometimes found amongst animals, in some of 

 them ; but in many cases we are not sure whether a 

 communication exists or not in the male organ 

 (antheridium) , or whether the fertilizing protoplasm 

 passes through this communication or through the 

 closed cell-wall of the antheridium into the female 

 organ (oosphere). Such a doubtful stage is seen in 

 Peronospora, a parasite in the tissues of dicotyle- 

 donous plants. The abnormal formation known as 

 " bladder plum " in some fruits is due to a fungus 

 termed Exoascus, which has a mycelium of un- 

 branched septate hyphae, and this spreads around 

 and through the fruit, causing it to swell up 

 immensely. Though we know so much about this 

 fungus and its peculiar ascus fructification, we have 

 still to answer, how does this fungus penetrate into 

 what is, apparently, a healthy tree ? The disease 

 known as " rust of wheat " is very easily procured 

 in the right season, and though it has been much 

 studied as a type of a group of fungi our attention 

 has still to be given to the spermatia formed on the 

 hyphae in cup-shaped receptacles (spermogonia) to 

 find out whether they are of any use in fertilization 

 or whether they fertilize at all. In lichens and red 

 seaweeds they pass down the trichogyne to the 

 carpogenous cells, and this suggests the possibility 

 that here also they may be a useful product of 

 energy. Our mushrooms furnish queries no less 

 interesting. Has the Agaricus, with the veiled 

 fructifying surface, developed from the one with the 

 unveiled, or vice versa ? We see an intermediate 

 form in A . campestris ; but how or why has this 

 change been brought about ? Is it for defence, or 

 has climate been a main agency ? Protection is 

 required, but fertilization much more so. It appears 

 to me that in whatever way we look at it the 

 fertilization question is the main cause in this case. 

 The adder's-tongue fern (Ophioglossum) and 

 moonwort (Botrychium) form another opening 

 for the interested botanist. Only in Ophioglossum 

 pedunculosum and Botrychium lunaria is the 

 prothallium known to any extent. In the former it 

 is a prosenchymatous tuber with stout shoots and 

 no chlorophyll, while in the latter there is an oval 

 body, brown externally, white internally, bearing 

 rhizoids : 0. vulgatum is at present an enigma to 

 solve, and in fact a further investigation of all the 

 above Filices is desirable. Many of our club- 



mosses (Lycopodiaceae) are entirely unknown to us 

 in their germinating stages ; Dr. Bary has 

 observed the development of the embryo of L. 

 immdatum partially ; other observers have seen a 

 further developmental history in foreign species, 

 but in no one species does the whole cycle of 

 development seem to have worked out in its 

 entirety. Many points of interest might be pointed 

 out in Selaginella and Isoetes, but I think that enough 

 has been said to offer paths among the Cryptogams 

 for the student to tread, and in conclusion, though I 

 need hardly do so, since so many things will suggest 

 themselves to the reader ere he is half through this 

 article, I will mention one or two instances which 

 come to my mind just now about the Phanerogams- 

 The Onagraceae, as well as most other orders, 

 have been subjected to most minute examination 

 in regard to their pollen-grains, their structure, 

 origin and growth, but in some plants of the above 

 family we often find more than four chambers, and 

 we require a further knowledge of the develop- 

 ment of other organs of this family, besides an 

 explanation of the above facts. Again in the 

 Santalaceas, which includes the bastard toad-flax, 

 etc., while the general rule is two synergidas and 

 one oosphere in Santahcm, we have two oospheres 

 placed far down in the embryo sac, below the 

 synergidas. The contents of the pollen-tube, when 

 it is applied to the summit of the embryo sac, reach 

 one of the synergidae, both of which then disappear 

 without developing any more, and the oosphere 

 developes into the embryo without coming in con- 

 tact with the pollen-tube. How do the synergidas 

 convey the fertilizing material of the pollen-tube 

 to the oosphere, and what is the origin of the 

 two ? 



It is not by the working of a few that the above 

 questions are to be answered, but by the individual 

 endeavours of all lovers of the field. Not by one 

 observation, but by successive ones, made under 

 different conditions and by different methods. I 

 might have made the Bacteria another group, 

 which we might consider, but I felt that to the 

 amateur it would be almost useless ; the study of 

 Bacteriology is, comparatively speaking, only in 

 its infancy, and we require powerful microscopes 

 and elaborate cultures, in most cases, before we 

 can attempt, with any degree of satisfaction to 

 ourselves or others, to observe them. Therefore, 

 it appears to me, we are forced, unwillingly often, 

 to leave them to the professional man, or to the 

 man of research, who has both time and money at 

 his disposal. Let us hope that before very long, 

 ways will be opened up to all to gain a fair 

 knowledge of this most interesting branch of 

 botany, but till then, there will always be more 

 than enough of material to occupy the amateur in 

 his leisure hours. 



Queen's College, Belfast. 



