BiBLtOGRArHY. 121 
tains 10 or 12 dense masses of male cells. “ Each has a peduncle 
which branches out on all sides, and this is repeated at such short 
intervals that there results an almost globular mass, 120-150 p in 
diameter.” Antheridia of Bonnemaisonia asparagoide s, Ag., 
Polysiphonia urceolata, Grev., P. Brodicei , Grev., and Spermo- 
thamnion hermaphroditum , Nag., are mentioned, but as they are of 
the usual types, no special interest attaches to them. 
In Halarachnion ligulatum, Kiitz., the antheridial cells occur 
singly or in couples amongst the ordinary cortical cells. A section 
through one of them exhibits a cell which “ produces four male 
cells above, and these emit the pollinoids, which are minute.” 
Turning from the male to the female organs of reproduction, 
Mr. Buffham has carefully examined a number of the so-called 
nemathecia of Ahnfeldtia plicata , J. Ag., his results agreeing well 
with the following note, which he quotes from one made at Cher- 
bourg, in 1857, by Dr. Bornet : — “ Dans V Ahnfeldtia plicata , J. 
Ag., les articles superieures des filaments articules dont sont com- 
poses les tubercules se transforment en spores. Chaque article 
laisse Schapper une spore globuleuse assez petite.” 
The paper concludes with an interesting note on the cystocarps 
of Plumaria elegans , Schmitz. 
These bodies are usually described as “ naked or involucrate,” 
but Mr. Buffham has, we think, conclusively proved that the so- 
called “naked” favellee are really asexual “polysporangia.” 
These organs are certainly the same as those figured by Pring- 
sheim (Beitrage zur Morph, der Meeresalg.), but no trichogyne 
or procarp has been observed. The contents of a sporangium 
in the early stages divide into two or four, and as the sporangium 
continues to enlarge the division goes on till at maturity 16 spores, 
irregularly ovoid, 45-48 p in length, and possessing a cell wall 
even before discharge, are formed. 
Mr. Buffham regards the polysporangia as an independent kind 
of asexual reproductive organs, and not merely polysporic tetra- 
spores. 
The paper is not only an interesting, but an important addition 
to the literature dealing with the reproductive organs of the 
Floridece, and we trust that Mr. Buffham will continue his investi- 
gations, which have so far been eminently successful. 
E. A. B. 
On the Classification and Geographical Distribution of the 
Laminar iacece. By W. A. Setchell. From the Trans- 
actions of the Connecticut Academy, Yol. ix., March, 1893, 
pp. 333-375. 
In this paper the author first reviews the history of the classifi- 
cation of this group of marine algee, and then proposes a new 
arrangement of the genera founded on the different modifications 
of the region of active growth in the fronds. His method of 
classification differs slightly from those of Agardh, Kjellman, and 
