PLUMATELLA. 381 
Hassall; near Dublin, Prof. Allman; Ayrshire, in a quarry- 
pond on the under side of stones, and in lakes on the 
under side of the leaf of Nymphea alba (are they the same 
species ?), D. L. 
I have reserved this to the last, that I may close this 
little work with an account of Plumatella repens, which I 
wrote for a periodical about ten years ago, when it had, to 
me, the charm of novelty. 
It is called Plwmatella, which is a diminutive of the 
Latin word signifying plumed ; and the specific name repens 
is given, because it is generally found creeping along the 
under surface of stones and of leaves. It has been seldom 
found in Scotland. When taken out of the water, it has 
no beauty to attract the eye; but when replaced in the 
water in such a position as that it can be contemplated with 
the aid of a lens, what is beheld is both beautiful and won- 
derful. When regarded with the naked eye, all that at 
first is seen is the appearance of horny, leafless branches 
proceeding from a centre, and setting out at short intervals 
along the branches, and generally in pairs, what seem like 
leaf-buds. In a little, however, there is the appearance of 
life, and what was a naked leafless branch assumes a downy 
appearance. The cause of this, by narrow inspection, can 
