204 
J. Ramsbottom, 
Dangeard (1906) worked at Mucor fragilis and interpreted the 
phenomena seen in Sporodinia grandis in light of the obtained results. 
In the former species a division of nuclei takes place in the young zygo¬ 
spores. The nuclei at a later stage fuse in pairs. Nuclei are afterwards 
seen of three kinds which Dangeard interprets as being nuclei before, 
immediately after, and some time after fusion. The nuclei which fail to 
copulate disappear. 
Very similar results were obtained in Sporodinia but the number 
of nuclei in each gamete is more than one thousand. In the old zygo¬ 
spores from ten to twenty rather large deeply staining bodies are seen. 
They resemble coenocentra but are masses of mucorine. 
Lendner (1908) then took up the study of Sporodinia . His account 
of the early stages agrees with that of the other authors. One of the 
progametes penetrates more or less into the other which is perhaps a 
sign of sexuality. Two large nuclei, one from each gamete, are present 
as well as numerous small nuclei. The latter which are dispersed every¬ 
where but are more numerous near the walls, divide. This division 
Lendner thinks Dangeard misinterpreted as nuclear fusion. These small 
nuclei do not degenerate but seem to preside at the formation of the 
zygospore membrane. The two large nuclei fuse and occupy the middle 
of the zygospore. 
Moreau (1911) has published three notes on the Mucorineae. He 
has studied Sporodinia. ,,Le similitude des observations de Dangeard 
et des nôtres sur ce point nous dispensera, dans cette note préliminaire, 
d’en donner le détail.“ In a species of Mucor , he finds that the proto¬ 
plasm in the progametes presents a vacuolate appearance and is multi- 
nucleate. Shortly after the mixing of the protoplasm the nuclei show 
karyokinetic figures. This mitosis has the same characteristics as that in 
the mycelium: two chromosomes, two centrosomes, no nuclear membrane 
nor nucleolus. In the zygospore however the spindles are much shorter. 
It is interesting to note that the nuclei of the Ancylistes and Basidio- 
mycetes have nuclear membranes, where as these are absent from the 
nuclei of the Ascomyeetes and most Siphomycetes. The protoplasm 
finally becomes reticulate alveolar and the zygospore surrounds itself with 
a spiny endospore. „A ce stade, la plupart des noyaux présentent des 
aspects qui ne laissent aucun doute sur l’existence de fusions multiples.“ 
All the nuclei do not fuse. A few degenerate but it is not a case of 
those degenerating which fail to fuse as fusion and degeneracy are two 
concomitant phenomena. 
Moreau has extended his researches to heterogamous and hetero- 
thallic species. The hétérogamie species have a peculiar interest. Their 
morphology has been studied and species which showed the faintest trace 
of heterogamy have been regarded as showing the beginings of sex 
differentiation. Blakeslees work (1906) however showed that often 
where the heterogamy was most marked e. g. in Zygorhynchus there was 
no physiological differentiation, the fungus being homothallic. Vuillemin 
considers that far from indicating a well-marked sexuality, heterogamy 
indicates a tendency to form azygospores. 
Moreau has worked at four species of Zygorhynchus , Z. Mölleri, 
Z. Vuillemini and two unnamed species. In the two former the pheno¬ 
mena are difficult to setablish because of the smallness of the nuclei but 
