CONFERVA SPIRALIS. 



C. filamentis fimplicibus lubricis articulis cylindricis longiufculis, fruftifi- 

 cationum granulis fimpliciter fpiralibus. 



C. fpiralis. Rot Cat. Bot. II. p. 202. 



C. quinina. Muller in Acta. Nova. Pet. III. 



In ftagnant Ditches and Pools ; about London and Yarmouth, common. 



IT is not without confiderable hefitation that I have ventured upon introducing 

 tliis Conferva, as fpecifically diftinft from the following one, nor do I even 

 now look upon the cafe as altogether certain, though I confider that the regarding 

 them as different, in compliance with the opinions of Muller and Dr. Roth, is the 

 moft likely way to avoid future confufion. 



C. fpiralis is frequently found mixed with C. nitida and C. bipun£tata ; from 

 which it is to be diftinguifhed by its much fmaller fize, and by the difpofition of its 

 granules in a fingle fpiral tube, refembling, as is obferved by Muller, a chain of 

 Roman Vs. That botanift appears to have been die firft who defcribed it in the ex- 

 cellent paper above quoted ; and of courfe I fhould have adopted his name, which, 

 though quaint, is veryexpreffive, had it not been more generally known by die equally 

 applicable one of Dr. Roth. Not only in its nature, but alfo in its colour, its mode 

 of growth, and the places which it inhabits, the affinity between this plant and C. 

 nitida is very great; as what is faid of the joints and granules of that fpecies is 

 equally applicable to this, I refer my reader to the remarks there given, and fliall 

 add nothing farther refpecling C. fpiralis, except a curious circumftance men- 

 tioned in the Catale£ta Botanica; which is, that if the water in which it is put be 

 ftrongly agitated, the granules loofe their fpiral form and become fcattered without 

 order through the joint. I have however repeated this experiment widiout fuccefs. 



