Druce, on Confervoidece. 71 
iV. forcipata, Greville. — Not common in Ascidians. 
N. lepida, Greg. — Very rare in fresh water. Spring Ditch. 
N. granulata, Breb. — Rare. In a sand-gathering, Hornsea. 
N. pectinalis, Sm. — Rare. Sand-washing, Hornsea. 
N, (Bstiva, Donk. — In a sand-gathering from Hornsea. 
On the Reproductive Process in the Confervoide^ (with 
part of Plate VI). By T. C. Druce, Esq. 
(Read January 11th, 1860.) 
The study of the reproductive process in the Confervoidese 
has occupied the attention of observers so eminent, that it 
is with very great diffidence I venture to lay before you 
the present imperfect observations ; but two considerations, 
arising one out of the other, impel me to this course. The 
first, that whatever may be the real importance of the facts 
I shall have the honour of submitting to you, they are at 
least recorded faithfully, and have assumed a consistency and 
strength I little expected at the commencement of a some- 
what desultory course of study. The second is, that as the 
present and coming season is favorable for the observation 
of the resting spores, I hope to induce many more observers 
to regard these organisms, humble in the scale of creation, 
but full of the highest physiological interest, and possessed 
moreover of beauty sufficient to reward the mere searcher 
after pretty objects, for devoting to them a somewhat less 
desultory attention than usual. I would commence the 
remarks I have to ofier to you by pointing out a few of the 
difficulties with which the path is beset in this department 
of research. These are of two kinds; the first, pregnant 
with snares for the inexperienced observer, arises from the 
tendency of the vital protoplasm to pseudo-organization ; for 
it is frequently overlooked that this life-blood of the vege- 
table world possesses as great a formative capacity as the 
blastema of animal life ; hence are presented many appear- 
ances otherwise unaccountable. I have seen the contents of 
