IOI 
Biology of Fegatella conica. 
from each other only by a few layers of flattened cells; the paraphyses 
are flattened between the antheridium and the walls of the cavity. The 
cells forming the beak of each antheridium are ultimately thrown off, and 
the semi-liquid contents of the antheridium are violently forced out of 
the opening at the top of the canal, arising from the surface of the receptacle 
in the form of jets of spray, as has already been described by the present 
writer (1903 A). A closely similar process had been described in the case 
of Asterella calif ornica by Peirce (1902), whose observations were not 
known to the writer at the time of penning the note just referred to. 
In Fegatella , the jets of spray containing the antherozoids continue to be 
emitted from the same receptacle for several minutes, and were mostly 
observed on warm, sunny days. In most cases the jets reached a height 
of about 5 cm., but in a few cases the distance was greater, up to 
about 10 cm. 1 
Similar explosive discharges of antherozoids have been observed by 
the writer in Reboulia hemispherical Marchantia polymorpha , and Preissia 
commutata, living plants of which were kept under cultivation in the 
laboratory, and it appears probable that this phenomenon will be found to 
be of general occurrence in the Marchantiales, where the antheridia are 
embedded in deep cavities sunk in the tissue of the receptacle, and com- 
municating with the exterior by narrow canals. The biological importance 
of this mode of discharging the antherozoids is readily seen when it is 
observed in the dioecious forms, e. g. Fegatella and Marchantia. Preissia 
is generally also dioecious, but sometimes monoecious, and the same is 
the case with Reboulia. In Fegatella and Marchantia , especially, the female 
plants are often found to be removed several inches from the nearest 
male plants, and it is possible that the antherozoids on being ejected 
explosively from the male receptacles are carried by air-currents to the 
female plants. No doubt the same result is secured by rain-drops falling 
on the ripe male receptacles and then splashing over the female plants, 
as suggested by Goebel (1898, p. 310). 
Female Receptacle (Carpocephalum). 
The female receptacle arises just below the anterior margin of the 
thallus as a rounded outgrowth, which increases in size and becomes 
pushed forwards and upwards until it stands on the dorsal surface of the 
thallus (PI. VII, Figs. 38-41). The archegonia are formed on the sides of 
this knob-like outgrowth, but are soon carried downwards on to its lower 
surface. A receptacle ready for fertilization has already attained the 
conical form to which the plant owes its specific name as well as the 
generic name ( Conocephalus ) used by some writers. It has a short stalk, 
See Postscript on p, 114. 
