ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 201 



The refractive grains embedded in the chromatophore correspond to the 

 cyanophycin grains. A true germ is lacking, but a plasmatic central 

 body is present, which contains grains of anabffinin arranged in rosettes. 

 Hydrolysis transforms the anabseuin into glycogen, as in Cyanophyce^e ; 

 by autolysis it is entirely dissolved, leaving only the chromatophore and 

 the plasmic central body. P. cruentum must therefore be placed in 

 Cyanophycete, near to Aphanocapsa. E. S. G. 



Contribution to the Study of Polymorphism and of Monstrosities 

 in DesmidiaceEe.— F. Ducellier {Bull. Soc. Bot. Geneve, 1916, ser. 2, 

 7, 75-118, figs. ; see also Bot. Centralhl., 1918, 138, 117). A fair 

 number of anomalies in connexion with the form and the method of 

 division are described, and many are figured. Nine new varieties and 

 forms of Euastnun didelta Ealfs are also described. E. S. G. 



New Desmidiacese for Switzerland. — F. Ducellier {Bull. Soc. 

 Bot. Geneve, 11)16, ser. 2, 8, 282 ; see also Bot. Centralhl., 1918, 138, 

 119). Fourteen species are stated to be new records. Cosmarium per- 

 foratum Ld. var. Ranchii and C. alpestre Roy & Biss. var. ellipticum 

 (Delp.) are described as new varieties. E. S. G. 



New Genus of Algae (? Desmidiaceae) Closteriospira. — L.Reverdin 

 {BulJ. Soc. Bot. Geneve, 1917, 9, 52-4, fig. ; see also Bot. CentralU., 

 1918, 138, 262). A new genus between Spirotseiikmi and Glosterium. 

 Distinguished from the former " apicibus hyalinis corpusculis interjectis," 

 and from Glosterium " chromatophoro spiraliter torto." The species is 

 G. lenumensis, and was collected between Ariana and Port Noir, on the 

 Lake of Geneva. E. S. G. 



Occurrence of Diatoms on the Skin ofWhales. — A. G. Bennett, 

 with Appendix by E. W. Nelson {Proc. Roy. Soc, B, 1920, 91, 352-7). 

 A short account of the film of diatoms which frequently covers the blue 

 whale and the fin whale in Antarctic waters. The film is of a buff 

 colour, and occurs most commonly on very fat individuals which have 

 been feeding for some time on the abundant plankton of icy waters. 

 The author suggests that the buflf- coloured bands on icebergs may be 

 formed also of diatoms. In an appendix Mr. Nelson gives the result 

 of his microscopical examination of Mr. Bennett's three samples of the 

 film, mounted in slides, dried, and in a tube. The two former consisted 

 entirely of a new species, Gocconeis ceticola, here described and figured. 

 The third sample consisted of G. ceticola and Navicula viridis Nitzsch. 

 usually a fresh-water species, and here recorded for the first time as 

 living in salt water. A few specimens of Pinnidaria interrupta W. Sm. 

 were also found in the tube, but it is not quite certain that any species 

 except G. ceticola was really derived from the whale's skin. It is sug- 

 gested that the association of G. ceticola with the skin of the whale is 

 more than an accidental one, both on account of its enormous quantity 

 in a state of absolute purity and of the colour. The question of sapro- 

 phytism arises. Slides of the diatom are preserved in the British 

 Museum, where are also notes of the first observation of the phenomenon 

 made by the late Major Barrett-Hamilton. E. S. G. 



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