130 MICROSCOPIC FUNGI. 



The antheridia are somewliat blunt-shapod jf 

 obovate cellules^ considerably smaller than vie 

 oogonia, with slightly thickened walls, and coii- 

 taining a finely granular protoplasm. These are 

 produced upon branches of the mycelium which 

 do not bear oogonia. The obtuse extremities of 

 these branches, which are to be developed as 

 antheridia, are applied to the surface of the grow- 

 ing oogonia, to which they adhere, become dis- 

 tended, assume their obovate form, and by the 

 formation of a septum at their base, their contents 

 are isolated from those of the threads of the 

 mycehum, and thus the antheridia are perfected. 



When these bodies have attained their full 

 dimensions, the large granules which are contained 

 in the oogonium accumulate at its centre, and form 

 an irregular, somewhat spherical mass, which is 

 called by De Bary a gonosphere. This gonosphere 

 having been formed, a straight tube shoots out 

 from the antheridium which perforates the wall 

 of the oogonium, passes through the fluid which 

 surrounds the gonosphere, elongating itself until 

 it touches that body. From this period a mem- 

 brane begins to be formed about the gonosphere, 

 which thenceforth maintains a regular spheroidal 

 form. It may be observed that the extremity of the 

 tube which proceeds from the antheridium does not 

 open, and the fecundation, if such it be, is pro- 

 duced . solely by contact. After this contact of the 

 two bodies, the gonosphere acquires a new name^ 



