THE WONDERS OP THE SPORE. 
37 
a small, green scale. Upon this scale — on its under surface 
— there are then developed certain organs, akin to flowers, 
which, in this second generation, become fertilised, and pro- 
duce a bud, or we may call it, perhaps, an attached seed. 
Fig. 1.— Young Fern Prothallus, much magnified— Prothallus ; rh, Root- 
hairs of Prothallus ; s. Spore. 
which then proceeds to reproduce what we recognise as a 
Fern, and regard as the real parent. 
This small, green scale, which is termed a prothallus {p, 
Fig, 1), is produced from the spore (s) by simple generation 
of cells, the first of which emerges from the spore, and 
multiplies itself by fission, and the attendant formation of 
Fig. 2.— Lower Surface of Mature Prothallus, magnified— a, Archegonia ; 
rh, Root-hairs. 
tiny root-hairs {rh), by which due nourishment is obtained. 
When this prothallus attains a heart shape (Fig. 2) — generally 
about iin. in diameter — there are found upon its under surface, 
among the root-hairs and elsewhere, many organs of two 
