220 THALLOPHYTA. [CH. 



small spore-like bodies are figured which the authors speak of 

 as possibly a Myxomycetous fungus'. There is however no 

 sound reason for such a supposition. 



As examples of Ascomycetous fungi found in silicified ' 

 wood of Tertiary age, two species may be quoted from Felix. 



Gladosporites bipartitus Felix', fig. 43, 3. The mycelium 

 and conidia of this form were discovered in some Eocene silici- 

 fied wood from Perekeschkul near Baku, on the shores of the 

 Caspian. The conidia are elliptical or pyriform in shape and 

 divided by a transverse septum into two cells. No traces were 

 found of any special conidiophores. The mycelium consists of 

 septate branched hyphae, rendered conspicuous by a brown 

 colouration. Felix compares the fossil with the recent genera 

 Gephalothecium and Gladosporium. 



Haptographites canteniger Felix', fig. 43, 4. The conidia of 

 this form were found to be fairly abundant in the silicified 

 tissue investigated by Felix ; they occur usually in chains of 2 

 to 6 conidia having an ovoid or flask -shaped form, with a thick 

 membrane (fig. 43, 4). The mycelium consists of branched 

 hyphae divided into long cylindrical cells by transverse septa; 

 occasional instances were found of an H-shaped fusion between 

 lateral branches of parallel hyphae. 



Felix compares this species with examples of the genera 

 Haptographium and Dematium of the family Sphaeriaceae ; 

 it was found in the woody tissue of a dicotyledonous stem from 

 Perekeschkul. 



Zygosporites sp. The object represented in fig, 41 F consists 

 of a stalked spherical sac bearing a number of radiating 

 arms which are divided distally into delicate terminations. 

 We find similar bodies figured by Williamson^ in his IXth 

 and Xth Memoirs on the Coal-Measure plants; he includes 

 some of them under the generic term Zygosporites, and 



1 Cash and Hick, PI. vi. fig. 3. 



2 Felix (94) p. 276, PL xix. fig. 1. 



3 iUd. p. 274, PI. XIX. figs. 5 and 6. 

 * Williamson (78) and (80). 



