larger section of a smaller sphere, which, during motion, is
always directed forwards, while the entire sphere continually
revolves on its longer axis, and this with a wonderful rapidity.
A t length I observed the fine skin of the organ to burst, and
with the discharge of the motionless spores, followed the death
o f the animal life {der Tod des animalischen Lehens) of this
organ, and the plant appeared. I t must also be observed,
tha t the mass of spores, which is discharged from this sphere,
is much more highly developed than th a t which escapes from
the capsule, since in the former they are little more than
vesicles, and scarcely present any thing of the grumous shiny
mass, which in the latter is very evident.
“ In figs. 12. and 13. are displayed similar organs of irregular
form, Avhose origin it is very difficult to explain. I f I
had not observed the springing up of this organ, as well as
its propagation {Fortpflanzung), of which I shall speak hereafter,
one might suppose it to represent the seeds, which here
appear to be a little more extended, and seated on the parent
plant, to be about to shoot out into young Confervoe. This
idea is, however, entirely false, since such a mode of growth
occurs only In the inarticulate Confervoe, and therefore in
Vaucheria. In conclusion, I must be allowed to assert that
this species has hitherto never been observed, since the dark-
green colour, the shortness of the filaments, and their lying
one upon another, are very striking characters ; yet we nowhere
find them given.”— Meyen, Kritische Beiträge zum
Studium der Susstvasser-Algen Flora, No. 45., December,
1827.
Meyen’s second example, H. polymorpha, seems to include
more than one species belonging to different genera.
The genus Hempelia is false both in fact and philosophy.
The capsule, upon which Meyen lays so much stress, is
nothing more than the first developed cell of the Conferva, or
transformed zoospore, and has nothing whatever to do with
the reproduction of the species. To imagine that it has, is
in the highest degree unphilosophical, for it is to attribute
th a t function, which is indicative of the perfection of the life
of an organic being, and which is the last for it to assume, to
the part of the plant first formed ; it Is to invert In fact the
natural order of things
In the third volume of the “ Mémoires du Museum,” 1817,
there is a paper by M. Leon le Clerk, on the genus Proliféra.
In this paper Vaucher’s error in reference to growth
of the species by shoots is pointed out, and the formation
of circular bodies or sporangia noticed. M. Leon le Clerk was
not satisfied, however, that these bodies were formed by the
union of the endochrome of tAvo cells, as they doubtless usually
are. “ But it will be asked,” he remarks, “ what cause
determines the formation of the green matter into the globule
Avhich we have described. To this question we frankly avoAV
our ignorance. We can only give the assurance tha t this formation
takes place Avithout any kind of union with another
filament, as we had at first suspected from analogy to the
Conjugateoe. Perhaps, pre-occupied by the same analogy, one
might be led to suppose tha t tAvo neighbouring divisions of
the same filament united their green matter to form the reproductive
globule. This supposition vanishes hoAvever upon
the slightest examination. The tAvo divisions indeed bordering
on that which contains the grain present often the
green matter in its integrity, and if there be need for a fact
still more decisive, it has occurred to us often to meet with
not only two contiguous inflated cells, but three or four adjacent
cells all equally in fructification.”
These tAvo facts, mentioned by M. Leon le Clerk, do not
at all disprove the general rule, that the globules or sporangia
are formed by the union and condensation of the endochrome
of tAvo cells. The correctness of the first statement is very
questionable; it has never occurred to me to notice endochrome
In the cells on both sides of the sporangium, and I
am certain th a t where this body is perfectly formed the
greater portion of the green matter of the cells on one side or
other of it will invariably be found to have quitted tha t cell. '
With regard to the second particular, viz. the occurrence
of more than one sporangium in contiguous cells, this I think
can scarcely be regarded as an exception to the rule, at least
it admits of explanation. The occurrence of two contiguous