1026 RECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Codiolum gregarium, A. Br.* — Mr. E. M. Holmes records the 

 recent identification of this Alga from a Briti'sli locality by Dr. Bornet, 

 it having been discovered at Teignmouth in 1855 by the Rev. R. Cres- 

 well, one of the few British algologists who have paid attention to the 

 minute algfe growing near high-water mark, whereby he has discovered 

 many species overlooked by others. 



It forms a scattered velvety growth of a dark-green colour on the 

 vertical surface of the blocks of sandstone and Devonian limestone 

 forming the sea-wall, where it is liable to be wetted by the spray at 

 high tide only, unless the sea be rough, in which case the surf dashes 

 over it. Mr. Creswell has found it throughout the winter, year after 

 year, in the same place, presenting the same appearance to the naked 

 eye and the same characters under the Microscope. In June he has 

 found full-grown specimens in a spot where the plant is within reach 

 of every tide. 



Mr. Holmes states his reasons for considering it highly probable 

 that the " hypnospores " of Braun — the globose cells which he believed 

 to play the role of resting-spores and to preserve the plant during the 

 winter and spring months — are in fact only the earliest stage of 

 growth of Hormotriclmm flaccum. 



Algse from the Amazons. f — Professor G. Dickie gives a list of 

 the Algfe collected by Professor J. W. H. Trail during explorations 

 on the Amazons and branches. 



Of the total of 102 species and varieties (excluding Diatomacese) 

 the following are new : — 



BATRACHOsPERMACEa:, TJiorea Train. Confervace^, BMzoclonium 

 spongiosum, Gloeotila nigrescens, and G. aurea. Protococcace^, 

 Limnodictyon obscurum. Nostochace^, Anahcena scabra, Cylindro- 

 spermum cceruleum, and C. janthinum. Oscillariace^, Inactis obscura. 

 Chroococcace^, Microcystis ccerulea and M. lobata. 



Of the Diatomacefe the names of 188 species and varieties from 

 different localities are given, but this includes a number of duplicate 

 species found in more than one of the localities enumerated. 



Fossil Diatoms. I — The Academy of Genoa has published a paper 

 by Count Castracane on the importance of diatoms in the formation 

 of the earth's crust. Owing to the indestructible nature of their test, 

 the author believes that fossil diatoms enable him to demonstrate that 

 in the vegetable kingdom " the fixity of species is a constant law." 



Dimystax Perrieri, new Ciliated Organism containing Chloro- 

 phyll.§ — Van Tieghem describes under this name an organism com- 

 municated by M. Perrier, and found by him in sea-water from Roscoif, 

 containing Algae and lower animals, and again in a small laboratory 

 aquarium in the museum. 



It consists of a tremulous gelatinous mass of a pure green colour 

 and sharply limited form, spherical or oval, somewhat more than a 



* ' Journ. Linn. Soc' (Bot.), xviii. (18S0) pp. 132-5. 



t Ibid., pp. 123-32. 



X ' Rev. Sci. Nat.,' ii. (1880) p. 250. 



§ ' Bull. Soc. Bot. France," xxvii. (1880) pp. 130-2. 



