1903] Cushman, — Desmids of Bridgewater, Massachusetts 79 
[The above account of Miss Bacon’s rather heroic experiments is of special 
interest, since it proves conclusively a fact which has hitherto been gravely ques- 
tioned; for serious doubts have been expressed regarding the poisonous properties 
of Actaea. Thus, in a very detailed discussion of the genus by Messrs. J. U. & 
C. G. Lloyd (Drugs and Medicines of North America, 232-243), we find the fol. 
lowing note: *' The English plant, Actaea spicata, has acquired a reputation as a 
poisonous plant that it seems to us must be in most part unmerited. By old 
writers the plant was said to grow in dark recesses and to emit a fetid smell, 
which attracted- toads, hence it is called toad plant. The berries were supposed 
to be poisonous, and the entire plant to poison cattle. Our native plants, which 
could hardly be distinguished from the foreign, seem to be entirely innocent of 
poisonous properties, and certainly do not emit any disagreeable odor." — Ed.] 
LIST OF DESMIDS FOUND IN CARVER'S POND, BRIDGE- 
WATER, MASSACHUSETTS. 
JOSEPH A. CUSHMAN. 
Tuer making of this list has taken some of the spare time of three 
summers, but the time thus spent has been well repaid. Interest was 
awakened by the discovery of one or two species which were given as 
southern in Wolle’s Desmids of the United States. By persistent 
search many species were found, which, according to the latest edi- 
tion of that work, have not hitherto been reported from this section 
of the country. 
The pond in which these were collected is admirably situated for 
such plants and abounds in other forms of Algae as well as in 
Desmids. It is a shallow pond, but few portions being over six feet 
deep and the larger part of its area averaging less than half this 
depth during the summer months. In spite of its shallowness it is 
not stagnant as it is fed by two brooks and has an outlet at the oppo- 
site end. It covers about forty-two acres and is large enough and 
the conditions of its borders sufficiently varied to give a considerable 
difference in species in different parts. A record was kept in order 
to determine the frequency of occurrence of various species. "The 
list is here given with the author of the species as given in the last 
edition of Wolle's Desmids of the United States. 
Hyalotheca. dissiliens (Smith) Breb. Seems to occur most fre- 
quently in the middle of Spring, being much less frequent later in 
the season. Common. Found nearly choking a small pool by the 
side of one of the brooks which feed the pond. 
