MA^'X DIATOMS OF THE ALBATROSS VOYAGES. 22/ 



special Jeptirtiiients of science, the deinand for such literature would 

 be limited. But where properly j)repiired it would be, uidiko some 

 forms of scientific literature, i^ernuiuently authoritative. Many 

 of the works referred to in this report dale back to a period of fifty or 

 more years ago, yet remain to-(hiy of the highest value; whereas 

 scientific investigations in other fields, prepared at that date with 

 e(iual care and skill, arc to-day anticiuated and worthless. 



On account of this scattered and unsatisfactory character of the 

 literature upon this subject, there is some hesitation in publishing 

 the identifications that follow, and in one or two cases in naming 

 the new species here figured and described for the first time. Nearly 

 every work of any merit on this subject has been consultetl for this 

 report (see appended list); but if, as is likely, errors have crept in, 

 their correction will be gratefully acknowledged by the writer. 



Tn the following list of genera and species the authors quoted are 

 those who first formed and applied the names now given. But in 

 many instances subsequent investigators have so modified and recon- 

 structed the original (■oncei>tions as to entirely change their appli- 

 cation. There are a few instances in \\liicli the development of a 

 peculiar genus concept has been the gratbial product of many inves- 

 tigators, who have more or less perfected the genus as it now stands. 

 It Avould be practically im])orisible^ to give credit to all these scien- 

 tists without going into the subject of noinonclature beyond the lim- 

 its of space justified in a descriptive report of this kind. In such 

 instances reference is therefore made to such works as contain an 

 accurate and thorough history of this development. Thus, for exam- 

 ple, the genus Coscinodiscus was formed by Ehrenberg in bS40, but 

 included many forms now classed elsewhere, wdiile it excluded 

 forms now recognized as nieml>ers of this genus. Rabcnhorst, Greg- 



some 



ory, Greville, ^Y. Smith, Van Ileurck, Grove, Grunow, Kattray, and 

 others have helped to modif}' and correct the original boundary of 

 Ehrenberg's conception. 



some 



name still being retained "emendecr' for a group of diatoms wholly 

 different from that to which it was originally applied. This metliod 

 of work will luirdlv meet with the approval of present s^'stematists. 

 A careful exaimnation of the original ]niblicatioii and application of 

 all (^encra ()f Diatomaceae will be necessary before their classification 



can be placed on an (Miduring basis. 



A critical studv by Air. Kicker of ihe literature bearing upon 



the types of over one hundred genera im-luded in this report has 

 demonstrated the impracticability of extentliiig this work to include 

 all the generic names here considered, as the time required would 

 seriously delay the publication of the repoil. The traditional appli- 

 cation of the generic names has therefore been followed in the 



