of Bed Snow, 59 



to, whether animal or vegetable, there was an incalculable mul- 

 titude of very small spherical globules, which were colourless, 

 detached, or united in groups, without any trace of motion, or 

 any contents whatsoever. Their diameter is not more than the 

 J J jf of a millimetre. (Seefig. 10. pi. 1.) On isolating one of the 

 larger bodies from the rest, a considerable quantity of these 

 minute globules collected round it, and often assumed a fila- 

 mentous, articulated, or cellular appearance. (See fig. 2. c. pi. 1.) 

 In proportion as the water, contained between the two plates 

 of glass, evaporated, the same effect continued to be produced ; 

 the primitive structure becoming indistinguishable ; if again 

 moistened, these bodies reassumed their appearance very im- 

 perfectly. This was the Protococcus nebiilosus of Kutzing. 

 (Linnoa 1833, p. 365, tab. 3. fig. 21.) I have no doubt that 

 it is to this organism we should refer the minute colourless glo- 

 bules observed by Bauer, and others which float upon the sur- 

 face of the water. No more do I doubt that, in many cases, it 

 is these small globules, become obscure by the effect of drying 

 and decomposition, and mixed with the colourless remains of 

 the globules of the Protococcus nivalis, which have led many 

 naturalists to believe in the necessary pre-existence of a ma- 

 trix or gelatinous substratum. 



I ought to remark that it was about 4 p.m., and in cloudy 

 weather, that I made the preceding observations, and that 

 coming darkness obliged me to delay taking drawings till the 

 morning. Even at 11 p.m., the snow contained in the vessels 

 was not quite melted. At an early hour, however, next morn- 

 ing, it was so ; and the colouring matter was deposited on 

 the bottom of the vessels ; and I perceived by the microscope, 

 that all life had terminated in the different objects ; and the 

 globules of the Protococcus could not be distinguished from the 

 infusoria of the fifth figure of the plate, except by their colour, 

 which was brighter, by their great transparency, and their 

 contents being evidently granular. The figures, therefore, 

 were made from individuals who had been for some time dead. 



In the hope that the weather would improve, and that the 

 red snow would continue to grow, I delayed next day going 

 again in quest of it ; but, in the evening, the weather was worse, 

 and next day fresh snow descended in great flakes. 



Having prepared for my herbarium, upon mica, a number 



