Address of the President. 11 



Under the microscope, this curious Alga was a beautiful 

 object, and seemed to be worthy of closer examination, and I 

 sent specimens to Dr. Greville, who has kindly drawn up the 

 following observations on its history, and at my request made 

 the drawing for the excellent figure which accompanies this 

 description: — ^"The little Alga belongs to the family Eivu- 

 lariadaj (Kutz.) Some of the genera Physactis and Limnactis, 

 for example, seem to pass into each other, and it is only by 

 very careful dissection that some of the species of Eivularia 

 itself can be separated from those two genera. The plant 

 under consideration is at first sight exceedingly like Limnactis 

 jmrvula; but as the radiating filaments of which the 

 "phycoma" is composed are furnished at their base with an 

 elongated cell, it must be referred to the genus Eivularia, and 

 I am disposed to identify it with P. j^ygmca (Kiitz. Sp. Alg. 

 p. 337 ; Tab. Phycol. vol. 2, pi. 70, fig. 4). The following 

 are the specific characters given by Kutzing : — 



" 'R globosa, obscure eeruginea, dura, trichomasibus omni- 

 bus excentricis rigidiusculis, torulosis, apice hyalinis inarti- 

 culatis ; manubriis elongatis curvulis, basi incrassitis.' 



" The very minute size of this Alga, being smaller than the 

 head of the smallest pin, and the firm, elastic, and highly 

 lubricous substance, render it extremely difficult of examina- 

 tion. It is only by completely crushing it, and patiently 

 searching out the perfect fragments, that its true nature can 

 be ascertained." 



Carlingwark Loch will well repay another visit. Marie is 

 said to have been procured in quantity, and animal remains 

 have been found in it. ^lany aquatic molusca inhabit the 

 loch, and notwithstanding the unfavourable circumstances of 

 the day, the following species were picked up: — Anodon 

 CT/gneits, Cyclas cornea, a Psidium, Playiorhis marginatus, 

 Limnmus periger, Bythinia tentaculata. Our entomology was 

 restricted to water -beetles. From the same causes, our 

 botanical list was limited. Besides the Aka already referred 



