Mr. Hassall's Notices of British Freshwater Conferva. 389 



Vesiculifera capillar is, Linnaeus? Filaments of considerable 

 diameter ; cells varying in length from nearly twice to almost 

 four times their diameter ; spores large, circular, contained 

 in distinct inflations of the cells of an evidently ovate form. 

 I am unable to quote a single synonym for this species with 



certainty ; I am inclined, however, to refer to it the Conferva 



tumidula of e English Botany*/ 



Very abundant in ponds in the brick-fields near Notting 



Hill ; it also occurs occasionally in the vicinity of Cheshunt. 



Vesiculif era crassa. Filaments of very considerable diameter; 

 cells usually about five times as long as broad ; spores oval, 

 generally solitary, but sometimes binary, contained in cells 

 of a slightly oval form, the length of which exceeds the 

 diameter about twice. 

 The only species near to which this approaches is Vesiculi- 



fera Landsboroughi, than which the'filaments are thicker, and 



the inflated cells shorter and less marked. 



In a fish-pond at Wood Green near Bury Green, vicinity 



of Cheshunt. 



Vesiculif era Landsbor ought. Filaments of considerable dia- 

 meter, but scarcely so large as those of the preceding spe- 

 cies ; cells at the period of fructification about five or six 

 times as long as broad ; spores oval, contained in inflated 

 cells of an elongated but not regularly oval form ; these oc- 

 cur usually single at intervals of three or four cells, but 

 sometimes two are juxtaposed. 



I have much pleasure in dedicating this one of the finest 

 species of the genus to the Rev. David Landsborough, by 

 whom the merit of its discovery is shared equally with myself, 

 as an expression of my warm admiration of the devotion dis- 

 played by that gentleman to the cause of natural science. 



I have met with this species but sparingly myself, but have 

 received excellent specimens of it in a state of reproduction 

 from Mr. Landsborough, who aptly compares the form of the 

 spore-bearing cells to that of the " soldering of lead pipes." 



Vicinity of Cheshunt ; very rare. — A. H. H. In an old coal- 

 pit near Stevenston, Ayrshire ; abundant. — Rev. D. Lands- 

 borough f. 



* I am led to suspect, from observations made subsequent to the writing 

 of the above description, that Vesiculifera princeps is merely this species in 

 a young condition ; however, I am by no means certain of this. 



f Under the name of Conferva tumidula a fine specimen of this species 

 was sent me by Mr. Ralfs a few days since ; but that Conferva, as already 

 mentioned, I conceive ought to be referred to Vesiculifera capillaris, de- 

 scribed above. 



