196 SELECTED NOTES FROM 



Asterolatnpra decora ; Trinacria vetitricosa ; Triceratimn plenum ; 

 Aulacodisciis crux. A. Clarke-Smith. 



The fact that the " PoHshing Stone of Bohemia," mentioned 

 by Mr. Smith, is chiefly composed of Diatoms, is rather suggestive 

 to microscopists of what happens to people's teeth when they use 

 " Sozodont." 



Is it true that P. Formosum ever possesses " striae " or any 

 other markings of the extreme tenuity of 130,000 to the inch ? I 

 studied them for some years hopefully in search of the solution to 

 the markings because they were so large. Carpenter mentions 

 them as tests for low powers. But it is to be much desired that 

 Mr. Clarke-Smith had given us some specimens of what would be 

 something more than that. No wonder my old friend is such an 

 enthusiast on Diatoms when he has such friends to send him 

 information on the latest and choicest gems. 



I cannot say all my enthusiasm survives. I greatly admire 

 them, but cannot help thinking there is a lot of waste time spent 

 over classification. I believe there will come a time when that 

 will be abandoned and a simpler process substituted for the more 

 laborious one. 



I entirely endorse what my friend suggests. Get them living 

 out of the dykes and highways for yourself, and direcdy you get 

 home set to work, and see them move with your own eyes. It will 

 be an eye-opener on the subject of the movement of Vegetables! 

 However, some seem so sure about it that I suppose there is no 

 more to be said. Still, I notice that Mr. A. Smith has doubts on the 

 point ; but I know that his views on the subject are expressed in his 

 second paragraph. For myself there is left no alternative but to 

 come to the conclusion that some sort of vegetables, especially in 

 the lower grades of life, have the appearance of being very 

 knowing things. 



As to the beauty of the forms, it has always seemed to me that 

 Practical Astronomy has in some way its analogue in the micro- 

 scopical study of diatoms. I also hope we shall have a further 

 selection at some future time from Mr. Clarke-Smith's cabinet. 



Lionel Bartleet, 



