DIATOMS 

 Bv Dr. F. C. Clark. 



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. f f I » I ' 

 NAVICULA CRABO 



It is prol)ably true that the natural .sciences are ahogether 

 neglected by a majority of the people. A few of us dabble a little 

 here and there, but most people who are really interested do not 

 progress very far because of various handicaps, among which 

 may be mentioned lack of time, lack of enthusiasm, and the lack 

 of fundamental education so necessary to satisfactory work in 

 an}- line of advanced thought. 



1'he most attractive subjects are those that reveal to us much 

 of the beauty in nature with but little expenditure of thought and 

 energy. For example, the study of butterflies interests and at- 

 tracts us because tliey are very beautiful and are ea.sy to secure. 

 The same is true of the flowering plants, shells and similar forms. 



It is the toiler in undiscovered fields wlio needs skill and 

 entluisiasm. 



Those de])artments of science in which only a few are inter- 

 ested and ill which \\'e must work almost alone rc(|uire workers 

 who are willing to delve without comi)ensati;)n other than that 

 derived from the knowledge gained. There are some such scien- 

 tists, and there will be more of them. 



Hntomology is being studied quite carefully by a few in 

 Southern California. Conchology has its able representatives here 

 and botany, as related to the higher forms, holds the attention of 

 some of our ablest men and women. 



I am glad that all of this is true ; but 1 wish to call the atten- 

 tion of lovers of nature to a group of plants little known to most 

 of us — the diatoms. 



Here we have a wide field for the stud)- of tiny forms whose 

 beauty is not excelled by plants of higher organization. 



The variety of form of diatoms and the wonderful beauty of 

 their sculpture makes them objects of interest to all wdio love the 

 harmony of symmetry. 



Some of the largest diatoms may be as large as the head of a 

 pin, but most of them are exceedingly small. They are found in 

 untold million"- in the sea, and in ponds and streams everywhere. 



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