36 The Germination of Fern Spores. 



fertilizes the germ-seeds through the channel and instru- 

 mentality of the stigma and pistil. 



The author of this paper has never yet actually witnessed 

 the descent of the antherozoids into the archegonia ; though the 

 latter organs, along also with the antherozoidal vesicles, and 

 the antherozoids themselves, are all distinctly visible in certain 

 specimens of the prothallia of Filix mas immersed in a solution 

 of acetate of alumina and distilled water, and mounted 

 permanently for the microscope ; and which have now main- 

 tained themselves in a state of perfect preservation for about 

 four years. See Fig. 1. 



That the archegonia are truly thus fertilized, seems to be 

 shown from the fact that the true rhizome and fronds of the 

 young fern are always seen to spring, eventually, from a point 

 immediately in contact with one of the archegonia, situated near 

 the upper part commonly of the prothallium, and (as in the 

 case of Filix mas and others) on what would be its central line, 

 did any such line exist, but which does not. 



The antherozoids, when set free, may be seen as spiral, club- 

 headed organisms, furnished near the thickest part with six cilia, 

 with which they vigorously propel themselves with a peculiar 

 wriggling, jerking motion, through the water. But both these 

 undoubted facts, as well as the fertilization of the archegonia 

 by their instrumentality, are considered as too romantic by 

 Mr. Dawson. " The compromise," he says (see Intellectual 

 Observer for June, 1864, p. 337), "between animal and 

 vegetable impregnation is too obvious to be real; besides, what 

 are the cilia and curved tail for ? impediments rather than aids 

 to going down a straight tube ; and cilia are for swimming, but 

 where has the Leander to swim to his Hero V 



To this, the author of this paper replies — " Because it is 

 requisite that the antherozoidal bodies should swim, therefore 

 we see that they are furnished with cilia ! I have witnessed all 

 these facts repeatedly, with one of Messrs. Smith, Beck, and 

 Beck's magnificent first-class microscopes, now in my pos- 

 session, with even as low a power as 60 diameters. And as to 

 the question, s Where has the Leander to swim to his Hero V — 

 if by this is meant, where is his Hellespont? I would answer 

 thus — paraphrasing the well-known beautiful, but rather 

 boisterous glee — 



" Of water alone he wants no more 

 Than the prothallium supplies, 

 "When a dew-drop lies 

 On its leaf, on a summer morning !" 



And again, writes Mr. Dawson, "I have carefully observed 

 these bodies" (the antheridia, he means,, and archegonia), 



