Notes. 
48 
fact that the lower part of the gametophyte is composed of tissue 
which is yellowish in colour, and from which a thick oil exudes, 
even when the plant has been lying in ninety per cent, alcohol for 
months. The upper portion of the prothallium-tissue, upon which 
the generative organs are situated, is white in colour and free from 
oil. A longitudinal section of the prothallium shows the same dis- 
tribution of yellow oil-bearing and white oil-free tissue as the 
cross-section, but demonstrates that the oil-bearing stratum is both 
absolutely and relatively much thicker in the older parts of the plant. 
Microscopic examination shows that the oleiferous tissue has its 
cells occupied by an endophytic Fungus and a very abundant 
protoplasm. 
The Fungus, so far as it has yet been studied, seems to be a sterile 
Pythium, possibly the same as that found by Treub, Goebel and 
others, in the prothallium of species of Lycopodium. The writer 
hopes to investigate the Fungus more closely in a living condition 
during the next period of vegetation. The Fungus-filaments can be 
seen passing from the prothallium to the outside medium by way of 
the root-hairs. 
The prothallium seems to be entirely saprophytic in its mode of 
life; as quite young examples, bearing as yet only antheridia, were 
found, which were nevertheless yellow in colour and wholly sub- 
terranean. They showed no evidence of a scar, indicating a possible 
origin from a green subaerial phase, even when examined under 
considerable magnification ; and in fact the depth of their occurrence 
in the moss (in many cases 10 cm. or more) would seem in itself 
to preclude such a mode of origin. Moreover, Mettenius found in 
the case of Ophioglossum pedunculosum , that the subterranean sapro- 
phytic stage was antecedent to the green lobes, appearing above 
the soil. Somewhat similar conditions have been described by Treub 
in species of Lycopodium. 
Campbell describes the appearance of chlorophyll in the ger- 
minating spores of this species, but it may have originated from the 
spores being sown, contrary to the natural conditions, in the light. 
The writer is experimenting with growing spores in darkness, but 
sufficient time has not yet elapsed for germination to take place. 
The antheridia, as has been already stated, occur in numbers on 
a ridge running lengthwise on the upper surface of the prothallium. 
The young antheridia originate behind the growing-point from 
