CLASSIFICATION OF CRYPTOGAMS. 
409 
not be taken into account in the first line by systematists. 
The old division into Fungi and Algae is so engrafted into 
popular conceptions, is so convenient to the student, and 
rests at the same time, with but few exceptions, on such 
well-marked physiological characters, that its abandonment 
requires the clearest evidence of the necessity for such a 
course, as being obviously in harmony with genetic affinities. 
But few will, we think, be bold enough to maintain that 
Spirogyra is more nearly allied to Mucor than it is to (Edo- 
gonium, or that the Florideae display more affinity to the 
Basidiomycetes than they do to the Fucaceae. 
The present writer has already stated in detail (^Journal of 
Botany,’ 1878, p. 202) his reasons for considering that it is 
impossible to place the Characeae among Thallophytes, and 
still more among the Carposporeae. 
As regards minor points, I am disposed to consider the 
anomalous Myxomycetes as a low type of structure, scarcely 
raised above the Protophyta, and not exhibiting true sexual 
conjugation. The researches of Carpenter, Cohn, and others, 
clearly show that Volvox and its allies must be placed among 
the Oosporeae rather than the Zygosporeae. The Phaeospore ae 
should certainly be separated off as a distinct order from the 
Fucaceae. 
I propose, therefore, to divide Thallophytes into three 
primary classes: — Protophyta, Fungi, and Algje. The 
Protophyta are divisible into two sub-classes, Protomycetes 
and Protophyce(B. The Protomycetes consist of a single 
order, the Schizomycetes, of which Saccharomyces is regarded 
as an aberrant form. The Protophyceae are composed of the 
Protococcaceae (including Palmellaceae and Scytonemeae), 
Nostocaceae, Oscillatorieae, and Rivularieae. The Myxomy- 
cetes are treated as a supplement to the Protophyta. The 
Fungi are made up of three sub-classes, employing in the 
main the same characters as Sachs ; for reasons, however, 
which are stated in another paper presented to the Associa- 
tion, the syllable sperm ” is used instead of spore ” in 
their terminology. The first division, the Zygomycetes (or 
Zygospermece achlorojyhyllacece)^ is composed of the Mucorini 
only (including the Piptocephalidae). The second, the 
Oomycetes (or Oospermece achlorophyllacece)^ comprises the 
Peronosporeae and Saprolegnieae (including the Chytri- 
diaceae). The third, the Carpomycetes (or Carpospermece 
acliloropliyllacece)^ is made up of the Uredineae, Ustilagineae, 
Basidiomycetes, and Ascomycetes, the Lichencs being in- 
cluded in the last as a sub-order. The Algae are arranged 
under three corresponding sub-classes. The Zygophyceco (or 
