Methods of Reproduction in the Saprolegniacecz. 17 t 
this condition were found in the cultures, thus indicating the genus 
Saprolognia (p. 170, fig. 4). 
The next step in the life-history is the formation of oocysts; 
these were formed at a very early stage, and commenced as 
terminal swellings on the hyphse (p. 172, fig. 1). 
At first the oocysts appear evenly filled with granular proto¬ 
plasm, but the contents soon begin to segregate into several 
separate masses, which later become the oospheres (p. 172, figs. 
12 and 13). This process has already been fully described by 
previous workers under the title of “ balling of the ova.” 
The number of oospheres thus produced, varies from four to 
eight, and, in some cases, twelve (p. 172, figs. 2, 13. 14 and 15.) 
All stages can be observed in hanging drop cultures, and it is 
generally during the process of “balling” that the antheridial 
branch is seen to become applied to the wall of the oocyst (p. 175, 
figs. 6—9). 
When the “ balling ” is complete, the oospheres are seen clearly 
defined with a membrane, and in several cases antheridial tubes 
were observed penetrating the wall of the oocyst and terminating 
in connection with the oospheres. 
The formation of the Antherocyst in this species was a point of 
great interest, as it showed a variety of forms. The typical case 
seemed to be where it arose from an adjacent branch of the main 
hyphse and forms a more or less branching net-work round the 
oocyst (p. 175, figs. 4—11), but cases of almost equal frequency were 
noted where both the oocyst and antherocyst arises from lateral 
branches of the same hypha (p. 175, figs. 12—16). A third method 
was noted where the antherocyst was derived from the hypha 
actually bearing the oocyst (p. 175, figs. 17 and 18). 
Cases of fecundation, or at least cases of the undoubted 
presence of the antherocyst, were chiefly found in the young and 
vigorous cultures; later on, the older cultures seemed to lose the 
property of producing the antherocysts. In these cases the oocysts 
produced the oospores parthenogenetically. 
In the older cultures, where nearly all the oocysts appeared to 
be parthenogenetic, the number of oospores was noticed to be 
greater, the average being eight or twelve (p. 172, figs. 14 and 15), 
whereas in those first formed it is usually four or six. The 
dimensions of the oospores remain the same in each case, the 
average diameter being 22g. 
