CYSTOSPERMEiE.

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the part of the plant first formed; it is to invert in fact thenatural order of things

In the third volume of the “Memoires du Museum,” 1817,there is a paper by M. Leon le Clerk, on the genus Pro-lifer a. In this paper Vaucher’s error in reference to growthof the species by shoots is pointed out, and the formationof circular bodies or sporangia noticed. M. Leon le Clerk wasnot satisfied, however, that these bodies were formed by theunion of the endochrome of two cells, as they doubtless usuallyare. “ But it will be asked,” he remarks, “ what causedetermines the formation of the green matter into the globulewhich we have described. To this question we frankly avowour ignorance. We can only give the assurance that this for-mation takes place without any kind of union with anotherfilament, as we had at first suspected from analogy to theConjugates. Perhaps, pre-occupied by the same analogy, onemight be led to suppose that two neighbouring divisions ofthe same filament united their green matter to form the re-productive globule. This supposition vanishes however uponthe slightest examination. The two divisions indeed bor-dering on that which contains the grain present often thegreen matter in its integrity, and if there be need for a factstill more decisive, it has occurred to us often to meet withnot only two contiguous inflated cells, but three or four adjacentcells all equally in fructification.”

These two facts, mentioned by M. Leon le Clerk, do notat all disprove the general rule, that the globules or sporangiaare formed by the union and condensation of the endochromeof two cells. The correctness of the first statement is veryquestionable; it has never occurred to me to notice endo-chrome in the cells on both sides of the sporangium, and Iam certain that where this body is perfectly formed thegreater portion of the green matter of the cells on one side orother of it will invariably be found to have quitted that cell.

With regard to the second particular, viz. the occurrenceof more than one sporangium in contiguous cells, this I thinkcan scarcely be regarded as an exception to the rule, at leastit admits of explanation. The occurrence of two contiguous