378 



1833, or just 60 years ago, followed by ' Synopsis Diatome- 

 ariim,' in the same year, or the year after. It was now (1834) 

 that he made the discovery of the silicious nature of the diatom 

 frustule, and that the cell-contents contained iron ; but although 

 this was confirmed he could not get his paper printed in the 

 Proceedings of the Berlin Academy of Sciences, and later on 

 Ehrenberg quietly ajipropriated the latter part as his own. 

 Perhaps his best known work, ' Die Kieselschaligen Bacil- 

 larien,' appeared in 1844, reprinted with additions in 1865. 

 The plates, drawn by himself, are many of them excellent ; in 

 others, the figures are very minute and crowded ; but the in- 

 strumental means at his disposal were very deficient, as he 

 owns, and from the conditions of microscope manufacture in 

 his early days could, perhaps, hardly be helped. It would be 

 interesting at the present to see the instrument with which he 

 first worked. In 1845 was published his ' Ph^^cologia Germa- 

 nica,' or concise descriptions of German alg^e, and in 1846 he 

 began the issue of a large illustrated work on marine algae, 

 entitled ' Tabulae Phycologicae,' which extended over some 

 twenty or more years. This was followed by ' Species Alga- 

 rum, ' in 1849, and the art. ' Diatomacea) ' in Grundziige der 

 Philosophischen Botanik, 1851-2. No doubt an extended bio- 

 graphy of Kiitzing, whom Dr. De Toni styles the ' Nestor of 

 Algology,' will appear in some scientific paper ; but I could 

 not refrain from some notice, however meagre, of such a man 

 and microscopist who has now paid the debt of nature after a 

 long and useful life." 



The Chairman was sure that the members would hear with 

 great regret of the death of Dr. Kiitzing, and that they would 

 all join in the vote of thanks to Mr. Karop for the careful way 

 in which he had worked up the interesting account he had given 

 them. 



Mr. R. T. Lew4s said that he had exhibited under a micro- 

 scope at the end of the room a specimen of the hair of some 

 animal, which he was anxious if possible to identify. Perhaps 

 in explanation he might say that a few months ago he received 

 from a correspondent in Natal a carious object, apparently 

 formed of white cottony hairs felted together, which was sent 

 under the impression that it might be an owl's cast. Upon 

 examination, however, it was found to have been woven tO' 



