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GLOZOCAPSA SANGUINEA, AG. 
By the Rev. J. E. Vizz, M.A. 
In speaking to you about Glaocapsa sanguinea now, I am not aware that in 
investigating this Alga, with a special view to your attention for a few minutes, I 
shall be able to make either any new discoveries or any startling facts. Still 
Gleocapsa sanguinea does claim very nearly par excellence to be one of the most 
beautiful microscopical objects known. It wants one thing which from its structure 
it never can get, viz: motile power, and then it might have rivals to equal it, but 
none would surpass it, not even Volvox globator, to which it is in some points 
related. Viewed under a low power, say one inch objective, there is not much to 
be seen, but under a quarter inch its beauties then are manifest. There is an 
exquisite amount of colouring matter, which exists in the centre of each plant, and 
which in the centre is of anu extra intensity, on account of the overlapping of one 
plant on the other. This by degrees becomes toned down to the most delicate rosy 
tint. It would be folly for me to attempt to make a drawing of it. No one could 
do justiee to it. Dr. Greville, whose Scottish Cryptogamic Flora we all are 
supposed as mycologists to know, would not make a true copy, I am sure. This 
lowly alga is the work of Nature, in plain words, of God, and God’s work cannot 
be equalled—imitation, useful as it is, is not perfection. If you notice it, then, 
under the microscope you will see that the plants consist of somewhat spherical 
cells; they may be found singly or numerously associated together in groups, 
enclosed, however, in a transparent covering. Take one of these single cells, or a 
double one surrounded by its case; spontaneous division occurs, and the two 
daughter cells are formed within the parent cell, there being a covering for both. 
This process goes on still further. The daughter cell becomes the external covering 
for another daughter cell, until the whole family is encased within the one external 
sheath. This is how the first cell doubles, then the 2 become 4, the 4 become 8, 8 
become 16, 16 become 32, and so on. This process of sub-division is not peculiar to 
Gleocapsa. Volvox proceeds on a similar system. It is of course almost needless 
to say that the last formed are smaller than those formed before, and so in regular 
progression. Occasionally there may be found some fronds of Glaocapsa which are 
not of a rosy colour at all; they are of a blue or greenish tint. I take them to be 
a condition of life quite elementary, as compared with the older forms; the blue 
will become pink, a process not new to Alge. Take Protococcus, for example, in 
which you see both colours continually together, with the various shades between 
the two. The shape of these is occasionally not unlike a Diplodia in part of its 
growth. Shapes, however, are very various. I suppose that according to the 
number of cells will be the number of plants afterwards. The Diplodia shape, 
having its septum, would begin with two plants, and go on with its daughter cells 
in course of development ; whereas a Gleocaysa, with four, five, six, or more divi- 
sions, would grow with an exactly corresponding and proportionate increase of 
