2 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JULY 
plants. Abundant monoecious material, identified by Mrs. BRITTON 
as belonging to the same species, has been found at other stations, 
but this has been reserved for a later investigation. 
Like many of the Musci, Catharinea displays evidence of being 
quite plastic. Thus plants taken from the same patch have shown 
striking variations in the number of lamellae; and even on different — 
leaves of the same plant the number of lamellae may fluctuate 
beyond the limits given in taxonomic descriptions. The writer 
has little sympathy with the present tendency toward the manu- 
facture of endless numbers of species on extremely slender bases. 
In regard to Catharinea careful investigations are needed to deter- 
mine whether these minor differences are in reality specific, or are 
merely the fluctuations of a plastic form. 
C. angustata forms archegonia rather early in the spring. Fre- . 
quent collections were made at Eagle Heights, about 4 miles from 
the city, beginning the first week in April and ending the latter 
part of May. This was supplemented by other collections from 
stations on the campus and from Dorwood’s Glen. The plants 
were transferred to large moist glass jars and almost daily killings 
_ made, thus securing a wealth of material for study. The killing 
agents used were 0.25 chrom-acetic and Fl Foc 
the study of young stages serial paraffin ribbons were cut pip 
a with L oye stages 8-12 u. As stains, safranin in combination __ 
Griin, Fle emming’s vai and Heidenhain’s i iron alum 2 be 
| & a 
. In staining moss material Toe or more in | thi kr ; ss the diffi- 
Sieh Ge seasiicea 
Fe ea Sa wate 
oe almos “certain | ‘to wail off | cpaielly | in the iron alum 
o. Hematoxylin ek eee This trouble was avoided through the 
use of a modification of the fixative devised by Lanp (11). By 
imentation gf np _ amounts of = arabic Tan oe 
