of Bed Snow. 67 



Ehrenb. 1. c. p. 51, tab. ii. %. 31), to which I shall give the 

 name of Gyges santjuineus. I am inclined to think that Gre- 

 ville had these same infusoria under his inspection, possibly 

 the identical species, and that he has figured them in his Scot. 

 Crypt. Flora, vol. iv. pi. 231, fig. 8, and partly figures 5 and 

 6. If, moreover, I rightly understand the passage in which 

 M. De Candolle describes the red snow which was sent to him 

 by M. Barras from Saint Bernard, it would appear that this 

 celebrated naturalist has also observed these animals ; and the 

 same form evidently appears in the coloured drawing which 

 Dr Schmidt took at Grimsel in the year 1827. 



3fl?, I also found under the microscope, a small number of other 

 still more minute bodies, which were perfectly spherical, and 

 of a beautiful blood-red colour, though somewhat transparent. 

 Viewed in certain positions, they exhibited at one of their edges 

 a small cleft or very narrow opening. Their diameter was 

 about -f 1 of a millimetre. Their movement was progressive, and 

 in circles, and they turned upon their axes at the same time. 

 (See fig. 5. pi. 1.) I cannot decide to which of Ehrenberg's genera 

 of infusoria T ought to ascribe this animal. According to the de- 

 scriptions of many authors, who assign very different dimen- 

 sions to the globules of the Protococcus nivalis, and on compar- 

 ing it with the drawing of Dr Schmidt already alluded to, I have 

 no hesitation in affirming that this organized substance has 

 been regarded as the diminutive globule of the Protococcus. 



4///, Among the other infusoria, I have observed, though very 

 seldom, some bodies perfectly spherical, of a very deep crimson 

 colour, slightly transparent at their edges, and surrounded with 

 a membrane, which was without colour. At one determinate 

 point, towards the edge, the colouring mass exhibited an open- 

 ing, which was transparent, and almost colourless, in the shape 

 of a half moon, and which communicated with the membra- 

 neous border. (See fig. 6. pi. 1.) I have not been able to de- 

 tect any motion in these bodies, and I do not know to what 

 genus I should refer them, although, like the previous ones, 

 they probably belong to the volvocian group. 



Besides those infusoria which contributed the colouring tint 

 to the red snow, there were some others which were destitute 

 of colour, or greyish. As I have obser\'ed these very rarely, 

 it is possible they were accidental in the specimen. The first 



