158 Miscellaneous. 



GLADIOLUS IMBRICATUS, Linn. 



Mr. Borrer has sent to me specimens of the above-named plant, 

 found by the Rev. W. H. Lucas in the New Forest, Hampshire, in 

 1856. Mr. Borrer says, "I saw the plant in two places [in June 

 1857], about two miles apart, and each of them at least a mile from 

 any house. One is on the road from Lyndhurst to Balderwood, 

 where it grows in some quantity on both sides of the road ; the other 

 in the heart of the Forest, S.E. from the turnpike, two miles from 

 Lyndhurst on the Christchurch road. Here it abounds for about 

 a quarter of a mile, with short intervals. In both places it grows 

 scattered on dry ground amongst Pteris, which overtops it before it 

 comes into flower." "The situation is such in both places, that I 

 should suppose no one would suspect that the plant is other than 

 indigenous ; as truly as its companion Habenaria bifolia.''* This 

 seems to be a very interesting addition to our flora, which has escaped 

 notice from its being hidden in the masses of brakes. — C. C. B. 



Notes on some new and rare Diatomacece from the Stomachs of 

 Ascidice. By George Norman, Esq. 



Being engaged some time ago in examining dredged oyster-shells for 

 Diatomaceae, I discovered on the surface of one of the shells a cluster 

 of semi-transparent gelatinous bodies of a yellowish-green colour, of 

 which the shape, however, was not uniform, owing perhaps to their 

 being dead and flaccid. In size they approached small hazel-nuts. 

 These I take to be Ascidiae of some species, as they were apparently 

 enveloped in an outer mantle or skin of somewhat tough consistency. 

 By cutting through this mantle and towards the centre of the body, 

 a large stomach was exposed, quite distended with what appeared 

 to be brown mud. On examining this under the microscope I was 

 delighted to find it almost entirely composed of Biatomaceae, still 

 quite fresh and full of chlorophyll. The Diatoms were mostly 

 uncommon forms: the most conspicuous of those which occurred 

 in the first I opened were, Coscinodiscus concinnus (in great numbers 

 and of unusually large size), Pleurosigma lanceolatum, n. s., Eupo- 

 discus crassus and Ralfsii, Eucampia zodiacuSy and a very curious 

 tubular Rhizoselenia, which Mr. Bright well has named Rhizoselenia 

 styliformis. 



Since then I have examined many Ascidiae from the same source, 

 and have never failed in any instance in obtaining Diatomacese in 

 abundance ; these have mostly consisted of species which, from their 

 occurring in deep water, are somewhat uncommon and diflicult to 

 obtain, unless the collector be furnished with an expensive dredging 

 apparatus. 



Some of the forms are of great rarity, and others are even quite 

 new. I would, therefore, call the attention of all diatomists to this 

 source as an easy and inexpensive means of obtaining good and rare 

 forms, in a comparatively clean state and without much trouble, as 

 the trawling-boats are constantly bringing to market the large 



