THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 9 
by bipartition. A few days after the germination of the 
spores, the process of bipartition, by which the number of 
the swarm-cells has greatly increased, ceases. The majority 
now withdraw the flagellum and adopt true amoeboid move- 
ments. These amoeboid bodies collect in clusters, and 
coalesce to form plasmodia, which may be described as 
masses of naked protoplasm abounding in nuclei, and more 
or less-coloured granules. As the plasmodium increases in 
bulk by the ingestion of nutritive matter, and by the 
union of small plasmodia, it acquires the remarkable stream- 
ing movement peculiar to itself. In the majority of cases 
the plasmodia is of a whitish colour, but there are many 
in which it is yellow, and in some it is greenish, pink, or 
purple. Only the other day (November 22nd) I received 
the plasmodia-stage of Lycogala epidendrum for the first 
time, although I have several specimens, collected when 
quite mature, from the Botanic Gardens, National Park, 
and from Russell Falls, in Tasmania. The plasmodium of 
the specimens of this species was found in sawdust at 
Scheyville. It was of a reddish or orange-red colour, tinged. 
with yellow. When the plasmodium has exhausted the 
food supply it changes’ into the sporangia stage, which, in 
the course of their development, and also to the conditions 
of its surroundings, undergo a great change in colour, 
differing according to the species. In some cases the plas- 
modia stage continues for upwards of twelve months, in 
others they will go through the. several stages from the 
germination of the spores to the formation of the sporangia 
in a fortnight. If the plasmodium is allowed to become 
dry, it passes into the sclerotium or resting stage. On be- 
ing wetted the sclerotium will revive in the course of a 
few hours and resume the streaming movement. Preserved 
in a dry state, it is stated that certain species will retain 
their vitality for three or four years. The formation of 
the sporangium of some species is particularly interest- 
ing, as just prior to the bursting of the sporangia they are 
geen as whitish or ash-coloured patches; but when the 
spore case or sporangia have shed their spores, they are 
dark, or nearly black. When the sporangia are formed, a 
membranous or calcareous residuum or hypothallus is often 
left by the plasmodium, forming a base on which the sporan- 
gia are seated, as in the case of Stemonites, etc. In a 
number of species a beautiful net-work of threads are 
found, which is termed a capillitium. This is constructed 
