98 PROCEEDINGS : BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
their immediate neighborhood only. In Corclyceps ophioglossoides 
young spores were observed that contained but a single nucleus and 
in all probability the subsequent steps in development do not mate¬ 
rially differ from those occurring in a Massaria or a Geoglossum. 
The spores of several of the Podosporas present a curious case of 
the formation of a septum without a previous division of the 
nucleus. This practically amounts to cutting off from the spore a 
part that persists as an appendage or tail and maturing the part only 
in which the nucleus lies. Such tailed spores occur in Podospora 
setosa , P. anserina , P. fimiseda , P. curvula , etc. Podospora 
curmtla illustrates very well the steps in the development of such 
spores. The preliminary stages are similar to those that take place 
in Sordaria Jimicola. The spore plasm is also delimited as in Sor- 
daria, though early aggregation of the protoplasm is not so readily 
observable. The young spores are at first compressed (compare 
with figure 56, plate 10) but rapidly change in form so that the 
nucleus appears to be attached to the end and not to the side of the 
membrane. The shape of the spore at this time is cylindrical or 
rod-like. This is followed by an enlargement of the upper end in 
which the nucleus is to be found. It next moves down to the 
entrance of the small end (pi. 10, fig. 62), for it has grown too large 
to go any farther. This step is preparatory to the cutting off of 
the tail. 
A septum is evidently formed through the activity of the nucleus. 
That the latter is more active than usual is shown bv the fact that 
the cytoplasm in its immediate neighborhood gives a staining reac¬ 
tion with Flemming’s triple different from that in the rest of the 
cytoplasm (pi. 10, fig. 62). In any case a wall is laid down at this 
time and just below the position occupied by the nucleus. The 
wall having been formed the nucleus passes once more to the center 
of the upper part (pi. 10, fig. 63). The tail develops no further, and 
gradually loses its protoplasm. Whether or not the septum partakes 
of the character of a plasma membrane may not be decided with 
certainty. But the exospore is developed in connection with this 
part as with the rest of the wall surrounding the nucleated portion. 
That it is developed but very slightly on the tail, which grows but 
little more, is proof that the nucleus to some extent at least con¬ 
trols the laying down of the exospore. 
