Rhodora 
JOURNAL OF 
THE NEW ENGLAND BOTANICAL CLUB 
Vol. 11. August, 1909. No. 128. 
ON BALLS OF VEGETABLE MATTER FROM SANDY 
SHORES. 
(Second Article). 
W. К. GANONG. 
In this Journal for March, 1905 (7, 41-47), I gave such data аз 
I had been able to collect concerning the occurrence, composition and 
mode of formation of those somewhat interesting, even though not 
very important, objects described by the title to this paper. Since 
that article was published some additional facts have come to my 
knowledge, and are presented herewith. 
In the first place, even before the publication of the former article, 
Professor Farlow, in response to a question of mine, had written me 
that such balls occur on the French shores of the Mediterranean. But 
for some reason or other, probably because his communication hap- 
pened to fall upon the blind spot which our intellects as well as our 
eyes seem to possess, I did not understand that these marine balls are 
homologous in origin with the kind I was describing from freshwater 
lakes, and accordingly I failed to include them with the latter. But 
since then I have been able, by aid of notes kindly sent me by Pro- 
fessor Farlow and by Mr. F. S. Collins, to trace out the subject with 
some completeness, with results which, in so far as they concern our 
present subject, are as follows. Balls of vegetable matter formed 
by action of the waves upon sandy shores, both of lakes and the sea, 
are known in Europe, and from early times have been called Aegagro- 
pila by naturalists. ‘The best known of these balls are those found 
on the French shores of the Mediterranean, where they are known as 
Aegagropiles de тет, or Aegagropiles marines, or Pelotes marines. 
