90 Humphrey . — The Development of 
the first appearance of a germ-tube was recorded six days after sowing, but 
this was in a culture started in November. In May, 1904, a quantity 
of mature capsules were collected, and cultures of spores were started early 
in June on sterilized earth. These were kept in light of as near the normal 
intensity as possible, covered with a bell-jar which served to sustain an 
even condition of moisture. Spores in this culture did not germinate until 
late in August, and in no great numbers until the middle of October. 
This would seem to support the theory that, in all these forms, the spores 
necessarily have to pass through a certain resting period before germination. 
In a later study the writer intends investigating this point with reference to 
a number of Archegoniates, as it seems to be a somewhat mooted question 
as to whether the resting period is a constant character. 
Text-Fig. 4, A represents a young plant grown on a soil-culture. 
Here an unusually long, unsegmented germ-tube has been* developed, while 
Fig. 4, E and F represent young 
plants of the same culture twelve days 
old. In Fig. 4, D segmentation oc- 
curred at at early stage followed by 
a second division-wall, thus cutting off 
a short cell from which developed a 
germ-tube of considerable length. It 
would seem that this early segmenta- 
tion is hardly to be considered as 
normal, since in nearly every case a 
germ-tube of some considerable length 
Fig. 5. II onzontal section through grow- 0 . ..... 
ing point of stem. Apical cell x, leaves 1, 1. develops prior to any division into 
x s6 °- cells. Furthermore, in the water- 
cultures in which the sporelings were subject more or less to the injurious 
influence of the Bacteria unavoidably present, early division occurred in 
the majority of cases. 
On the first appearance of the germ-tube it is seen to contain a very 
few chlorophyll-bodies, but is rich in oil-globules. As the plant advances 
these diminish in number, though to no great extent. Thus far the early 
development of Fossombronia agrees essentially with that of Riccia hirta , 
of Fimbriaria californica , and of Sphaerocarpns lerrestris, var. californicus , 
as reported by Campbell 1 . As in Riccia , the axis of growth is continuous 
with that of the germ-tube, and at an early stage (Fig. 4, F and G) the 
regular two-sided apical cell appears, from which a rapid growth ensues. This 
apical cell occurred repeatedly in young plants of about the age of those 
represented in the above figures. As in Geothallus 2 , leaf-like lobes are 
seen to appear in some cases on either side of the apical cell. The leaves 
Campbell (’95), Mouses and Ferns, p. 38. 
2 Campbell (’96), vol. x, p. 506. 
