66 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



and the resulting conjugation of algae, may, perhaps, be thus explained : 

 the phanerogams require much nitrogen, as does also Spirogyra in 

 consequence of its quick growth, also greater denitrification takes- 

 place. 



Fresh-water Algae from the Malay Region.* — C. Bernard publishes 

 a list of unicellular fresh-water algae collected at various stations round 

 Batavia, at Singapore, Johore, New Guinea, and including a few species 

 from Japan. After giving a list of bibliography, the author enumerates 

 in tabular form the algae of the present list and the previous records of 

 other authors, giving locality and reference to the published record. 

 The species of the new collections are then treated separately and are 

 shortly described in critical notes. Seventeen new species are described 

 for the first time, and one of these is the type of a new genus, Spino- 

 closterium, an ally of Glosterium. Most of the novelties are desmids. 

 One or more figures are given of every species recorded, in order that 

 there should be no mistake as to its identity. 



Some Fresh-water Algae of Fiji.t — W. West contributes a list of 

 twenty-five fresh-water algae to L. S. Gibbs's account of the montane 

 flora of Fiji. There are seven Chlorophyceae, twelve Bacillariaceae, and 

 six Myxophyceae ; and they were gathered at Nadarivatu (2700 ft.), 

 at the base of Koro Levu (500 ft.), or in the hot springs (59°) of 

 Tavua (50 ft.). 



Interesting Diatom near Hull. J — R. H. Philip writes a short note 

 on Amphiprora constricta Ehr. (Stauronella constricta Mereschkowsky), 

 which he has found in one of the original localities, Marfleet, near Hull. 

 Until it was made the type of a new genus it had been placed in three 

 different genera on account of its anomalous structure. In the fifties- 

 it was recorded by George Norman as being very common in brackish 

 water, but apparently it is very little known by leading diatomists of 

 the present day. The author gives figures of it in the present note. 



Biddulphia sinensis^— C. H. Ostenfeld writes on the immigration 

 of Biddulphia sinensis Grev. and its occurrence in the North Sea during 

 1 908-7, and on its use for the study of the direction and rate of flow of 

 the currents. B. sinensis is frequent in the Red Sea and the Gulf of 

 Siam, and is regarded as an Indo-Pacific neritic form of the tropical 

 and sub-tropical coasts. The author shows the specific differences 

 between this species and its nearest allies, especially B. mobiUensis and 

 B. regia ; and then treats of its geographical distribution, mentioning 

 its occurrence on the Guinea coast in the Atlantic. The question of 

 its presence in the North Sea is then discussed, and its relationship to 

 the temperature of the water and to the salinity. The presence or 

 absence of B. sinensis at different periods in the North Sea is important 

 as an indication of the direction and rate of flow of the ocean currents. 



* Depart. Agricult. Indes-Neerlandais. Buitenzorg, 1909, 94 pp. 6 pis. 

 t Journ. Linn. Soc, xxxix. (1909) pp. 200-2. 

 X Naturalist, No. 634 (1909) pp. 376-7. 



§ Medd. Kommissionem f. Havunders. Ser. Plankton i. 6 (1908) 44 pp. (4 charts 

 and 5 text-figs.). 



