OF THE FOSSIL PLANTS OF THE COAL-MEASURES. 
301 
from its free extremity. Most of these modifications find their counterparts in the 
figs. 36, 37, and 37a. 
Mr. Cash’s cabinet contains several sections of a fragment of cellular bark, most of 
the cells of which contain broken fungoid liyphse (figs. 34, 35, and 38), of smaller size 
than those just described. One of the most perfect of these is represented in fig. 34, a. 
Numerous as are these fragments, indisputable reproductive structures are extremely 
rare among them ; but fig. 34, b and c, are examples which closely resemble in all but 
size some of the larger objects already described; and I met with two similar ones, 
fig. 38, quite equal in their dimensions to those seen in fig. 28. The exceedingly 
small diameter of the hyphae in this example, compared with those in figs. 28, 29, and 
30, suggest a distinction of species; but we know too little of the effect of changed 
surroundings upon these simple organisms to make a multiplication of names desirable. 
This latter form has been described and figured by Mr. Cash in a paper, “ On the 
Fossil Fungi from the lower Coal-measures of Halifax,” read before the Yorkshire 
Geological and Polytechnic in 1879. The specimen was discovered, along with others, 
by Mr. Binns, of Halifax. 
Mr. Smith came to the conclusion that since the fossil Fungi which he described 
possessed, as he believed, septate hyphae and oogonia containing oospores, they must 
be ranked with the Peronosporece. I confess that I cannot confirm the alleged facts nor 
accept the inference drawn from them. That the plant is a Fungus seems most pro¬ 
bable : equally so that its relations are with the Saprolegniece. The discovery of its 
reproductive organs in a more perfect state will alone enable us to arrive at a perfectly 
satisfactory conclusion on this point. 
Along with the examples described are numerous single spheres about '0012 in 
diameter. It was long doubtful whether or not these belonged to the supposed 
Peronosporites, but I have now no doubt as to their doing so. Their diameter is about 
the same as that of the oogonia of the branching specimens, and I found one in a small 
cluster of these objects which had developed into the state corresponding to that 
represented by fig. 37. 
I have occasionally found long branching hyphae without any dilatations, and which, 
being associated with the branching ones, I presume belong to the same plant, since 
they differ in no respect from the shorter hyphae of the latter. From these facts it 
would appear that this organism began as a single spore-like cell within the cells and 
vessels of other plants. This cell threw out from one to three short hyphae, each of 
which developed a capsule like an oogonium at its extremity, which, in turn, repeated 
the same process until a complex branching structure was produced. But under some 
other circumstances longer branching hyphae, either devoid of oogonia or only bearing 
them at much longer intervals, were produced. 
In conclusion I have again to thank Mr. Cash and Mr. Spencer, of Halifax, and 
Mr. John Aitken, of Urmston, near Manchester, for the free access they have given 
me to their cabinets, and to Mr. Butterworth, Mr. Young, F.G.S. of London, and 
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