320 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
during the first division in the ascus and in the telophase of the 
third division. 
Many investigators fail to find antheridia in the forms they 
studied. Eamlow (1906) holds that Theleholus stercoreus is apoga- 
mous and no antheridia are present. Cutting (1909) failed to find 
antheridia in Ascophanus carneus. He also states that any cell 
of the multinucleate and multicelled ascogonium may produce 
ascogenous hyphae. 
Eamlow (1914) holds that the nuclei of Ascophanus carneus d© 
not fuse but are paired in the ascogonium and wander into the 
ascogenous hyphae paired. Each cell of the ascogenous hyphae 
receives a pair of nuclei but only one cell develops into an ascus. 
Observations indicate that Ascoholus immersus is similar, except 
that each ascus contains sixteen spores. 
Overton (1906) states that the ascogenous hphae of Thecotheus 
pelletieri may arise from any cell of the ascogonium. The cells of 
the ascogonium are not connected by pores. The ascus may con¬ 
tain sixteen or thirty-two spores. This seems to indicate that three 
divisions are not necessarily the limit and the number of divisions 
may have no special significance. 
According to Brown (1908) the antheridium of Pyronema con- 
fluens is functionless, one fusion of nuclei occurs in the ascogonium. 
He holds (1910) that only one nuclear fusion occurs in Leotia 
luhrica, that being the fusion in the ascus. 
The filaments of Helvella elastica form ascogenous hyphae ac¬ 
cording to McCubbin (1910). The nuclei of the cells in the fruit¬ 
ing body are paired. This organism is of great interest as no sexual 
organs function in the production of asci. 
Carruthers (1911) holds with Harper that two nuclear fusions 
are necessary. In Helvella crispa the chromosome number in the 
vegetative nuclei is two and in the ascogenous hyphae four. The 
chromatin does not mingle during the first part of meiosis; only 
in the spireme stage is there a union and then perhaps an imperfect 
one. The chromosome number in the primary ascus nucleus is 
eight. Two contractions occur during the first, or heterotypic 
division and chromatin is extruded. The first and second divisions 
constitute a meiotic phase. The third division is simply a separa¬ 
tion of nuclei which fused in the ascus. Sixteen nuclei may be 
formed but only eight spores are produced. 
