Australian Meeting of the British Association. 147 
subtervaneci and “ black scab ” due to Chrysophlyctis (Synchytrium 
endobiotica. 
A consideration of the Spores of Basidiomycetes was 
presented by Dr. Burton Cleland. The author has made a close 
comparison of the spore characters of the Australian Basidiomy¬ 
cetes. He finds that the arbitrary classification on spore colour 
in the mass, while convenient for purposes of identification has no 
systematic value and tends to dissociate closely allied forms. On 
the other hand the size of the spores seems to be specific within 
varying limits. 
Professor T. G. B. Osborn presented a paper entitled “ Some 
Observations on the Life History of Ophiobolus gram inis .” 
Fossil Botany. 
In an account of the “ Vegetation of Gondwana Land,” 
Professor A. C. Seward considered the characteristics and 
distribution of the Permo-Carboniferous floras of the Northern and 
of the Southern Hemispheres. They were compared from the point 
of view of determining the relation of that of the Southern Hemis¬ 
phere to the older floras of the world, and in connection with the 
bearing of the facts on questions of climate, etc. Professor Seward 
also gave an account of the Fossil plants discovered by Captain 
Scott’s last expedition in the Antarctic Regions. 
Professor Margaret Benson, considered the Recent Advance 
in our Knowledge of Sigillaria at some length. The most 
important advance is, of course, the description of structural cone 
material by the author herself, who has given to it the provisional 
name of Mazocavpon. The petrified material is allocated to 
Sigillaria on the grounds of (1) resemblance to Dr. Kidston’s 
Sigillariostrobus ciliatus ; (2) association with Sigillaria leaves and 
bark ; (3) resemblance of cone axis and branches to both Zeiller’s 
and Kidston’s Specimens. 
Miss Bertha Rees briefly described some fossil fruits of small 
size obtained from the Larigi Logan South Gold Mine at Ararat. 
Physiology. 
The only strictly physiological paper was that given by 
Professor Ewart on Oxidase Enzymes., 
Professor Ewart takes exception to the use of such terms as 
“ peroxidase,” “ katalase,” “tyrosinase,” inasmuch as these names 
indicate only one of their many reactions. There is also no 
justification for the distinction usually drawn between the oxidase 
and peroxidase classes of ferments, and their supposed fractional 
