278 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1896. 



Other and much less important factors, such as depth and density 

 of the water, the character of the bottom, etc., have received ex- 

 haustive attention and are to be found disphiyed in lengthy tables 

 and expensive charts, whereas, the most important factor of all, 

 the conditions of the oyster's food supply, are relegated to brief 

 paragraphs and have as yet received practicall}'^ no consideration at 

 the hands of those who have sought to awaken interest in scientific 

 oyster culture. 



In this connection I may be allowed to quote briefly from Prof. 

 Haeckel : " The unicellular plants (Protophyta) have very great im- 

 portance in the physiology of the plankton and the cycle of matter 

 in the sea, for they furnish by far the greater part of the primitive 

 food (Urnahrung). The inconceivable amount of food which the 

 countless myriads of swimming marine animals consume daily is 

 chiefly derived, directly or indirectly, from the plauktonic flora, 

 and in this the unicellular protophytes are of much greater impor- 

 tance than the multicellular metaphytes. 



" Nevertheless, the natural history of these small plants has thus 

 far been ver}' much neglected. As yet, no botanist has attempted 

 to consider the planktonic flora in general, and its relations to the 

 planktonic fauna. Oflly that single class so rich in forms, the di- 

 atoms, has been thoroughly investigated and systematically worked 

 up ; as regards the other groups, not a single attempt at systemiza- 

 tion has been made ; and many simple forms of great importance 

 have lately been recognized for the first time as unicellular plants." 



James I. Peck, in a recent article on " The Sources of Marine 

 Food," adds testimony to the importance of primary food suj^ply, 

 showing, in a number of instances, the steps in the series from the 

 microscopic plants of the sea to the voracious bluefish or squeteague ; 

 the higher organisms in the series being dependent on the lower. 

 How essential, then, to the plauktologist is a knowledge of the con- 

 ditions aflecting the development of the protophyta, since these 

 minute plants form the primitive organic food, determining the wel- 

 fare of a long series of higlier forms, ending with man himself. 

 Means should be devised for establishing planktonic standards based 

 upon the ascertained conditions existing in waters known to be pro- 

 lific in higher forms of life. 



Knowing that the oysters, clams and mussels depend practically 

 upon diatomaceous food, and that certain bays, coves or estuaries 

 are noted for the abundance and quality of their molluscan fauna. 



