

350 THE NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST. 
voice and language which speak melodiously enough when their 
life is properly interpreted, and their relationships better under- 
stood. 
They are of extreme interest to the physiologist and systematist, 
but even yet there is no common agreement as to the homologies 
of their organs, or to their exact place in the natural system of 
classification. ‘They have been made the associates of the most 
diverse alliances in the vegetable kingdom. 
Linnzus, with philosophic insight, placed them at first amongst 
the Algz, but afterwards with a weaker grasp of their natural 
affinities, raised them to a position amongst flowering plants. In 
this latter view he was followed by his immediate successors. Still 
later, the elder de Jussieu and Robert Brown considered them 
to be monocotyledons, associating them respectively with pond- 
weeds and frogbits; while other systematists have classed them 
with the dicotyledons, referring them to positions near to Myri- 
ophyllum or to Ceratophyllum. In recent years Agardh has 
placed them with Confervacez, and Brongniart near the ferns and 
pillworts. 
Such diverse conclusions respecting their affinities give consider- 
able importance to the structure of these curious organisms, and 
to the interpretations which attach to their several organs. 
II.— LITERATURE. 
Their study has developed a considerable literature in the 
transactions of learned societies. Classical papers are those by 
Pringsheim on “di Vorkeime und die nacktfussigen Zweige der 
Charen,” in his Jahrbuch f. w. Botanik, Vol. I11., plates 9 to 13 
(1863); by Nordstedt in Vol. II. of the Arsskrif¢ of the University 
of Lund, entitled “Nagra iakttagelser 6fver Characeernas groning” 
(1866); by Sachs in his Lehrbuch, p. 258 (1868); and by de Bary 
in the Botanische Zeitung, Vol. XXXIIL., plates 5 and 6 (1875), 
“zur Keimungsgeschichte der Charen”—this last paper being 
to in the Journal of Botany for October 1875, No. 114, p. 
298. 
___In our own countrya careful monograph of the British species, with 
illustrations, has been recently issued by Messrs. Henry and James 
Groves, and these gentlemen—who are regarded as our best 
English authorities for this difficult group—are understood to be 
preparing sets of the critical British forms, which will contribute to 
our better knowledge of the group. 
Copies of these works were placed upon the table for the in- 
spection of the members, together with numerous dried specimens, 
British and continental; and basing himself upon the writings of 
the authorities quoted, Mr. Bailey proceeded to explain the prin- 
cipal points in the structure of the Chaiibens 


