26 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



the articulations of Diatoma feiicstraltiin, it is com- 

 ])ose(I of very pale globules of various sizes and 

 isolated. 



Organs of Propagation. — The organs of generation 

 in these forms are very obscure, and their existence 

 highly problematical. I have never seen them. I 

 have made some observations (and which I have 

 published), which are perhaps not without importance, 

 but since then I have not been able to identify these 

 organs with positive certainty. 



The Naviculas and Frustulias attach themselves to 

 each other by the pedal surfaces, and frequently 

 remain in that position for several days before separa- 

 ting. I have seen a couple of Naviculas iagrestis) 

 (fig. 9) also connected, but at a slight distance apart; 

 yet in spite of this apparent separation they were 

 united by two very narrow tubes c d, and I have 

 moreover seen that these tubes pass through the 

 openings in the cuirass into the coloured contents ; 

 I have ako seen at the orifices of tubes areolae 

 ((ircvlts) produced by the contents being thicker and 

 darker. They remained united about an hour, after 

 which separation took place in the following manner, 

 the tube c was withdrawn into the animalcule f and 

 the tube d into the animalculeyi 



I was also able to see on the pedal surface (fig. 9) 

 two apertures, d, e. one large and the other minute. 

 After the withdrawal of the tubes, the two animal- 

 cules separated. In a side view (fig. 9), I saw, 

 although somewhat indistinctly, the two openings, 

 </, c. lu Pharyngoglossa, below the mouth and below 

 the median line and alimentary canal, a little ex- 

 crescence (fig. 4, d d) round and perforated in the 

 centre may be seen ; what its function is is very doubt- 

 ful. I saw it, and mention it here. The propagation 

 of the Oscillarias and Diatoms may possibly be 

 effected by a separation of their parts. I have, how- 

 ever, never seen in these animalcules propagation 

 take place by division, but it has been described by 

 many naturalists, who have seen it in a higher order 

 of infusoria; it has been admirably described by 

 Ehrenberg. 



All that they saw and called division of individuals, 

 was that the animals formed part of a series or that 

 they were a chain of animals. I have never seen new 

 individuals growing on the animalcules separated 

 from the chain, nor have I ever seen any reduplica- 

 tion, and consequently resulting in propagation by 

 division, either longitudinal orj transverse ; neither 

 have I seen the animal continue to live or regain its 

 individuality and produce new individuals of its 

 species. 



(In connection with self-division he describes an 

 experiment he made on a filament of an Oscillaria 

 and which I give in his own words.) 



"Les Oscillaric'es se dccomposent bien dans la 

 partie dcji morte ; mais jamais un animalcule nou- 

 veau ne provient des morceaux separes de cette 

 parUe. En coupant les fils des Oscillaria's, j'ai 



vu celui auquel etoit attachee la partie de la tete 

 ramper, croitre et continuer a vivre, tandis que la 

 paitie inferieure coupee ne formoit plus de nouvelle, 

 mourut, se decoloroit et se decomposoit." 



The following is a list of the forms described by 

 Corda, with their synonymy : — 



Surirella Venus — S. striatula, Ehr. 



Navicitla costata - • Epithoiiia Wcstermaiinia ? 



Fncs/iilia appendiculata, perhaps an Amphora. 



Fnistiilia agrcstis, Rabenhorst refers to Pinnu- 

 laria viridis, but it is not that form, it is more like 

 P. Iwrealis. 



Frjistiilia viridcscens . 



Pharyngoglossa sigiiioidca — Pkiirosigma sp, 



Diatoma fcnestratuin= Tabellariafenestrata (fig. lo). 



Diatoma Navicular f Fragiliaria capucina or 

 Odontidiitm miitabik. 



Fragilaria nnditlata— ? F. constnicns. 



Svrin.v anuitlatiiiii= ? Rhabdonema arciiaticm (fig, 

 II).' 



Meridian cordatttin — M. circularc. 



Echinella cremdata = Gomphonema mimitissinmm. 



Scalptrum striatum^ Pkurosigma attentcatiim. 



SCIENCE IN THE PROVINCES. 



WE have received the report of the proceedings 

 of the Waterford Literary and Scientific 

 Association, containing the abstracts of lectures and 

 papers delivered before the Society. Amojigst these 

 are the following : — The opening lecture, delivered 

 by the President, J. N. White, Esq., M.R.I.A., on 

 "Volcanoes and Earthquakes." It is accompanied 

 by a map showing the distribution of volcanoes 

 throughout the world. A popular sanitary lecture on 

 "The Outer Man," by H. Colpoys Tweedy, Esq., 

 M.D. Dublin ; in effect, a lecture on the skin, and cloth- 

 ing and ablution in connection with it. On the "Be- 

 ginnings of Life." A lecture by Ringrose Atkins, 

 Esq., M.A., M.D. This is accompanied by a plate 

 showing various microscopical forms of animal and 

 vegetable life. On " Frictional Electricity," by 

 James Dowling, Esq. "The Records of the Caves," 

 by R. J. Ussher, Esq. Mr. Ussher deals largely with 

 the well-known Kent's Cavern in the neighbourhood 

 of Torquay, and the caves of Dordogne, in the South 

 of France. On " Gold," by Alderman St. George 

 Freeman, J.P. The lecture is divided into four 

 sections, as follows :— i. Gold in the mine ; 2. Gold 

 in the workshop ; 3. Gold in the mint; 4. Gold in 

 the pocket. This is a most readable and instructive 

 lecture. "The Geology of Waterford and its 

 Vicinity," by James Budd, Esq. On " Some Con- 

 nections between the Animal and Vegetable King- 

 doms, with special reference to Flowers and Insects." 

 The Transactions of the Eastbourne Natural 

 History Society for November is to hand, and con- 

 tains the Annual Address of the President (Dr. S. W. 



