STUDIES IN FERN LIFE 33 



been mentioned. One group of these, that near 

 the lower part of the prothallus, amongst the 

 root-hairs, which in the case of the Male 

 Fern is somewhat heart-shaped, represents the 

 antheridia, or male cells. The collection of 

 bodies near the upper portion of the pro- 

 thallus are the archegonia, or the female cells 

 of the system. The actual fertilisation of the 

 female organs will take place when there is 

 plenty of moisture surrounding the prothallus, 

 such as might be caused by rain or dew. At 

 such times the cells open, and the male organs 

 discharge strange little spirally curved bodies— 

 the spermatozoids. These, passing through the 

 watery element, impelled by some motive which 

 has given rise to a great deal of speculation, 

 make their way to the female organs, enter the 

 neck, and so complete the act of fertilisation. 

 It is now generally believed that the explana- 

 tion of the unerring movements of the male 

 bodies lies in the circumstance that they are 

 attracted towards the female cells on account 

 of a certain substance which is given out from 

 the archegonia at this time. As a rule only one 

 archegonium on each prothallus is fertilised. 

 It is not very long before the new fern 



