ON THE NATURE OF THE LOWEST SPECIES OF PLANTS. 
171 
ss deposited, and the characteristic odour of 
the water disappears. Hence, this mucilage 
would appear to be formed at the expense of 
the essential oil. No filaments or globules 
■can be discovered at this stage ; hut if the 
water is less exposed to the direct influence of 
the sun, they appear at first colourless in the 
mucus mass, and then the different forms of 
■Hygrocrocis LeptomiUis shew themselves. 
This constitutes the second step ; the light of 
the sun determining whether Protococcus or 
Hygrocrocis shall be developed, 'I'he lowest 
state of these globules is well exhibited in 
the genus established by Kutzing, of Cr?/p- 
tococcus which is inferior to Protococciis ; 
for in the former the organic mucus is only 
observed in the form of minute globules, 
while in the latter, they are larger and pos- 
sess colour with a more solid texture. The 
third step is the formation of filaments, by the 
union or elongation of the colourless globules, 
giving origin to Hygrocrocis or Leptomitus . 
The L Piumula is an advanced state of 
Cryptococcvs. The latter is formed in moist 
windows. Kutzing has observed the forma- 
tion of an Oscillatoria which he calls /erjes- 
tralis, over a stratum of Cryptococcus, which 
previously became a Palmeiia. If we term the 
transformation of Cryptococcus mto Hygro- 
crocis and Leptomitus a direct progressive step, 
we may call that of Cryptococcus into Palmeiia 
and Protococcus, litterally progressive. 
It is a worthy of remark, that the Protococ- 
cus is often found in dry places, for it seems 
that it never appears in water except when 
the sun is shining on it, and the Hygrocrocis 
and Leptomitus appear in the shade. It has 
been observed that the algae ( olgues) are 
formed after the death of the Infusorii, espe- 
cially the Enchelys Pulvisculus. When 
the water in which this animal is found, is 
evaporated, the latter contracts after death 
into globules. These possess at first their 
transparency at the extremities, which cor- 
respond to the head and tail ; but gradually 
they contract into a ring surrounded by other 
globules, and assume an appearance resem- 
bling Protococcus; only it is mucilagenous 
when united in large masses, and is therefore 
more like Palmeiia. 
At this time an Oscillatoria begins to 
appear, which Kutzing terms brevis. It is 
always the same plants. The author confirms 
the accuracy of the observation of Treviranus 
with regard to the motion of the sporules of 
algae. He observed the motions of millions 
of globules while examining the Draparnal- 
dia Plumosa in a glass of water. Under the 
microscope he noticed, that as the green bor- 
der (which was formed on the second day 
after depositing the plant in water), increased, 
the filaments of the Hraparnaldia, lost their 
green colour and became hyaline, and the 
globules resembled then the Cymbella (Frus- 
lulia.) These movements somewhat resem- 
ble those of pollen in spirit of wine, camphor 
in water, &c. but they are of longer duration. 
By keeping a Protococcus which w as seated 
on sandstone constantly wet, the globules 
became connected, filaments were formed, 
and a conferva produced, which he calls 
tenerrima (C JWuralis Spreng.) This plant 
is found in the waters of reservoirs, and is 
transformed into an alga of a superior order, 
the Inoderma. Kutzing observed the Alys- 
phreria flavo-virens to be produced from the 
Protococcus viridis, by the conversion of the 
globules into dichotomous filaments. 
He found likewise, that by examining the 
structure of the Parmelia spurietina, it is 
observed, that the globules of the Protococcus 
viridis, which occurs on trees along with the 
lichen, enter into its frond, and that the 
latter is the first stale of the lichen. Upon 
the upper part of trunks of trees, we observe 
the Parmelia parietina. At the base we 
notice filaments of Protonema, which are 
generally converted into Orthotrichum, Hyp- 
num and other mosses. 
Kutzing has distinctly observed these 
threads of Protonema formed by globules of 
Protococcus. 'J'hese globules swell, being 
filled in the interior with a green liquid, and 
are gradually expanded into filaments. It 
appears that the formation of A /^/sp/icena does 
not necessarily precede that of the lichens, 
but that it is an independent structure. Kut- 
zirig observed the Barbula muralis a moss, 
produced from Protonema and also from a 
Protococcus- The genera Zygnema and 
Mongeotia are generally found in shallow 
water. When the water containing these 
plants is evaporated, the Conferva quadran- 
gula appears. From the Mongeotia genvflexa 
in this way proceeds the Riccid crystallina. 
From his observations Kutzing infers: — 
1. The formation of organic matter cannot 
take place, except from elements of other 
organic principles already dissolved 
2. Simple globules (Cryptococcus, Palmeiia- 
and Protococcus), may produce difiPerent plants 
according to the influence of light, air and tem- 
perature. 
3. The superior algae are plants of very sim- 
ple structure. 
4. The same superior structure may be pro- 
duced from original structures altogether dif- 
ferent. Thus, the Barbula muralis, is iormed 
from the Protonema which comes from a Pro- 
tococcus, and again proceeds from the remains 
of the dried Palmeiia botryoides, without pass- 
ing through the stage of Protonema. 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASHMO 
LEAN SOCIETY, OF OXFORD, 1836- 
June,26, 1835 — The following query was pro- 
posed by a member : 
In what way can we satisfactorily explain 
the mode in which spiders carry their threads 
from one object to another at considerable dis- 
tances through the air? 
DR. DAUBENY EXHIBITED A SPE- 
CIMLN OF THE BROMELIA PIN- 
GUIS. — A native of the West Indies, which 
flowered this autumn in the open air in the 
garden of Mr. Shirley of Eatington Park, 
near Shipston-upon-Stour. 'J his plant has 
rarely blossomed in Europe even under glass, 
although a drawing of it in flower is given in 
the Hoi tus Elthamensis ; and the individual 
plant alluded to had been tried first in the 
pinery, and afterwards in the greenhouse, but 
had never put forth flowers, till it was taken 
