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able in this work, for it often happens that after one has collected 
at one spot all he desires, another spot a few yards away attracts 
his attention, but, as it presents the same appearance to the eye, 
it is neglected. The collector should not pass any favorable 
looking spot without examination, for pure gatherings of quite 
distinct species may often be made within a few yards of each 
other. One other piece of advice may not be amiss. When one 
finds a really good gathering, be sure to collect plenty of it, for 
the same spot may be visited again at the very next tide, and 
either nothing collected, or the species found may be quite 
different. ; 
It is our design to call attention to some localities along the 
New Jersey coast which have been found prolific, and the first of 
these to which reference will be made is Shark River, at Ocean 
Beach, on the New York and Long Branch Railroad, about nine 
miles below Long Branch. As it is easily reached by rail from 
either New York or Philadelphia, microscopists of those cities 
would be richly repaid for a visit to the locality. The writer is 
only familiar with the species found there during the months of 
July, August and September, but doubtless a visit during the 
open weather we sometimes have in winter would yield rich 
results, for some marine species flourish best during the winter 
months. 
Early in July, in the sand ripples on the south side of the in- 
let of Shark River, Cocconeis excentrica may be found abundant 
and pure. It is needless, perhaps, to remark that the time of 
extreme low tide is the only proper time for making collections 
here. Some distance farther up the river, on the south side, near 
the foot of B street, a broad flat occurs which is bare at low water. 
Here Navicula lyra, N. forcipata and N. humerosa may be found, 
sometimes well separated. Still farther up the river, and on the 
same side, Pleurosigma estuarii and many species of Amphora 
occur. A little farther up, at the foot of C street, the brown 
patches on the sand are usually worthy of investigation, for here 
pure gatherings of Amphora may be made; A. plicata, especial- 
ly, is often found here in a very pure state. Later in the season, 
other forms may be met with in these localities, Navicula inflexa, — 
particularly, being very abundant at the inlet, late in August. 
