ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, iMKJKOSCOPY, ETC. 401 



Protochrysis — is important in the very lateral position of its flugella, 

 giving a clue to the ancestry of the Brown Alga3 through the Phaeocaps- 

 acefe, PJiseothamnion, Fleurocladia, and Ectocarpaceaa. 



Micro-organisms from Salt-workings.* — B. Namyslowski has 

 investigated the water in hollows and ponds among the salt-workings 

 of the Salzberg Wieliczka, and finds that it contains a large quantity of 

 micro-organisms. Bacteria were predominant, and many isolated species 

 of Flagellatae were found, as well as a considerable number of amoebae. 

 The salinity of the water and the darkness in which the organisms live 

 necessitated special care in the investigation, and in the experiments 

 made. The Flagellatae all belong to the Protomastigine^e. The mem- 

 brane is wanting, as also the pulsating vacuole and chromatophores. 

 Sixteen new species of Flagellatag are described, and three new genera — 

 Pleurostomum, Triflagellum, and Pleuromastix. The other organisms 

 are also treated. The author finally discusses the origin of this 

 subterranean flora, and himself leans to the view that terrestrial micro- 

 organisms enter by means of channels connected with subterranean 

 streams, and gradually become accommodated to the new conditions. 



Plankton of the Sydney Water Supply.f — G. I. Playfair has 

 examined the material collected by washing the screens used for filtering 

 the Sydney water supply, and publishes a report on his results. Both 

 fauna and flora are described. The material is divided under five 

 heads : (1) Melosira graimlata ; (2) Vegetable debris ; (3) Peridiniese ,- 

 (4) Filamentous alg^e ; (5) All the lighter organisms. Melosira occurs 

 in overwhelming proportion, which the author is unable to account for,, 

 as this diatom is rare round Sydney. At every season of the year, a 

 splendid assortment of Peridiniete is found in relatively large numbers. 

 Filamentous algae are not well represented, nor in any quantity. The 

 Phythelieae were scarce, but RidzosoJenia eriensis var. morsa was in great 

 abundance. Notes on various forms are given, also descriptions of 

 novelties. The character of the plankton shows that the supply is 

 mainly storm-water from the creeks, and is not drainage from swamps. 



Fresh-water Plankton of Fontainebleau.J — R. Mirande gives lists 

 of two catches of plankton alg£e from the Mare aux Pigeons, near 

 Franchard in the Forest of Fontainebleau taken in April and July, 1910, 

 the first containing more than 50 species, the second 30 species. He 

 adds some notes on the relative occurrence of genera in the two seasons. 

 Most alg£e are less abundant in summer than in spring, but the Yolvo- 

 caceae reach their greatest development in the summer. 



Stichococcus and Hormidium.§ — F. Brand writes short notes on 

 these two genera. Stichococcus Xag. has as one of its distinguishing 

 features the absence of a pyrenoid. Brand, therefore, rejects from the 

 genus certain species included by Gay and Klerker which have a pyrenoid. 



* Bull. Acad. Sci. Cracovie, 1913, pp. 88-104 (2 pis.). 



t Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales, xxxvii. (1913) pp. 512-52 (5 pis.). 



+ Bull. Soc. Bot. France, Iviii. (1911) pp. 174-8. 



§ Bar. Deutsch. Bot. GeselL, xxxi. (1918) pp. 64-72 (figs.). 



