376 musci. 



marks on the pollen developement in Cobaea ? The dehiscence 

 it explains, as well as the developement of the sporules and 

 their mode of germination. 



To suppose the sporula analogus to pollen grains, is to 

 out-herod the doctrines of a sexuality; becauset he male organs 

 of Phaenogams require no fecundation to cause their perfec- 

 tion, and we should have the incongruity of perfect male or- 

 gans developed without sexual intercourse in plants, where 

 the sexes are most obvious, and male organs developed thro' 

 sexual intercourse in plants in which the existence of sexual 

 apparatus has not been demonstrated.* 



Affghanisthan Musci. 



The number of species of this family my be taken as about 

 63. 



The greater number were met with about Otipore ; where, as 

 I have mentioned, the mingling of Himalayan with Affghan 

 forms takes place. Central and eastern Affghanisthan ap- 

 pears to be remarkable deficient. 



From the remarkable absence of forests on the lines illus- 

 trated by the collections, it follows, that with the exception of 

 those of Bharowul, that almost all are terrestrial, and it is 



* The views of Greville and Arnott, and a host of others, on this 

 subject are unphilosophical, inasmuch as they are opposed directly to the 

 law of gradation of form, the most universal in the natural sciences. 



They are also opposed to all analogies, even of the most evident kind. 

 If liviDg beings propagate universally, the organs concerned are second 

 only to organs of vegetation or digestion, hence their presence in all 

 tribes would appear to be an absolute necessity. 



But still more absurdly, they allow, that the probabilities are vastly in 

 favour of their being sexual, and yet will not listen to arguments which 

 have a host of analogies in their favour. 



As there is every possible gradation in general form, why should there 

 not be every possible gradation of parts ? For myself, I see no valid ob- 

 jection to the supposition of a plant consisting of a few cells, perhaps 

 one, multiplying itself by the agency of its sexes, each of which consist- 

 ing of nothing but a single cell. 



