"13G NATURAL HISTORY. 



Bombay (page 24, Vol. V.) and is as follows : --In 10,000 parts or 

 grain-measures : — 



Specific gravity at G0° F . ... 10020 



Chloride of sodium ............ 12*41 



Chloride of calcium 7 - 07 



Sulphate of lime 2.08 



Silica -88 



Total Solids... 22-64 



The temperature of the water at source is noted 120° F. 



The Alga? that I have collected are from the hottest springs of 

 Gorakha-Machhindra, the temperature of which is 130° F. 



Very few Alga3 are described as the inhabitants of hot springs. 

 Oooke,in his recent work on British Water Algas, mentions only four — ■ 

 Htigeoclonium thermale 7 Gleocapsa arenaria, Spirulina oscillaroides 

 (variety Mvnutissima), and Oscillaria iherrnalis. Hassall mentions 

 Oscillatoria thermalis (page 250, Vol. I., British Freshwater Alga?) 

 as being found in a stream of hot water at Stevenston, but, as Cooke 

 rightly remarks, Hassall's illustration is not sufficiently graphic as to 

 enable the reader to recognize the species. Hassall, however, observes 

 that some of the OsciPatoreaa are found in mineral waters and in such 

 as are absolutely hot and almost boiling. 



Kiitzing, in his work " Species Algarum," describes Spirulina subti- 

 lissima as being found in some Italian hot springs. The Spirulina 

 thermalis is found in the hot springs of Italy and Bohemia (Carlsbad). 

 He also describes, among the doubtful species which he has not fully 

 recognized, Avabaena thermalis, found in the Algerian River Oued- 

 el-Bammam, which derives its waters from a hot spring. 

 JRhizoclonium Crispum is also described by the same Algologist as 

 being found in the hot springs of Germany and Italy. 



Thus it will be seen that the Algal inhabitants of thermal springs 

 are few and far between. I was struck during my visit to Vajrabai 

 with the rank growth of the Alga? now exhibited before this 

 Meeting. They were growing luxuriantly, and looked in their 

 recent and natural condition, richly and beautifully green, firmly 

 fixed on to the loose pebbles that were rolling in the stream 

 and to the black basaltic stones lying along the current of the 

 continuously streaming water, the high temperature of which 

 the human hand could not stand for more than two consecutive 

 minutes. 



