406 
Freda M. Bachmann 
side of the spermatium. The coiling of the trichogyne about a spermatium 
is similar to the behavior of the conjugating tube in Pyronema as des- 
eribed by Harper (51). Here too the egg cell produces a structure wliich 
grows out to the antheridium and coils partly around it before the con- 
jugation pore is formed. Harper says that the conjugating tube applies 
itself closely to the surface of the antheridium, and in so doing, becomes 
curved and sometimes even hook-shaped. This behavior is exactly like 
that of the trichogyne in Collema pulposum, In one instance (Fig. 26, 
PI. XXXII), I have found a swelling wliich is stained red in the region 
of the conjugation pore. From the figure it will be seen that this is not, 
as Baur described it, an even swelling, plugging this pore like the gelatinous 
plugs in the trichogyne cells, but a swelling in parts. Harper (51) has 
described irregulär deeply staining bits of material whic-h represent the 
swollen but not completely dissolved fragments of the broken-down 
wall in the neighborhood of the conjugation pore in Pyronema. The 
thiekening around the pore seems to be for the most part on the wall of 
the tube rather tlian on that of the antheridium, and it sometimes extends 
back over a portion of the under wall of the beak. In the only preparation 
which I have showing a thiekening, it is only around the pore and appears 
to be a part of the wall which was not broken down. But in Pyronema 
thiekening occurs before the antheridial nuclei have passed into the con- 
jugating tube, and results in a strong suture between the two cells. In 
a number of preparations which show the trichogyne and empty sperma- 
tium fused, I find no evidence of any thiekening, so it seems that if this 
commonly occurs in C. pulposum it does not appear until rather late. 
It seems, also, that here the thiekening around the pore is only a stage 
in the disintegration of structures which are now entirely useless; in 
Pyronema, on the other hand, it serves the purpose of attaching the large 
antheridium very firmly to the conjugating tube so that there is no danger 
of loss of the male nuclei. 
Stahl, Baur and Darbishire observed that spermatia are always 
found on c-arpogones which develop further. This is entirely in agree- 
ment with wliat I find in C. pulposum, I have not found any carpogones 
which I am certain disintegrate or return to a vegetative condition, as 
tliese three investigators found to be the case wlien spermatia were lacking. 
The greater activity of the trichogyne in seeking out a spermatium and 
the apparently indefinite length to which it may grow doubtless results 
in every carpogone being fertilized. Baur notes the improbability that 
it should be merely a matter of accident that spermatia are always found 
on trichogynes, the ascogones of which develop further. The active 
