55 



Professor Eamsay of University College, Bristol, during the 

 Canadian meeting of the British Association, and mentioned by 

 him at a meeting of the Bristol Naturalists' Society. 



Lastly, Professor Moseley, whilst naturalist to the Challenger 

 expedition, obtained Fresh Water Algse from the boiling springs of 

 Furnas, at S. Michael's in the Azores. He describes the Algse as 

 growing on the sides of clefts in the ground, about a foot 

 wide from which, sulphuretted hydrogen, steam, and water so hot 

 as to scald the hands, are discharged in jerks and splashes. 



Close to these were shallow pools of hot water, in the bottom 

 of which were hollow channels from which hot gases and water 

 were discharged ; the edges of these were green with deposits of 

 Algse, which, however, were difficult to get on account of the heat of 

 the water. In another place were swamps of hot mud, with pools 

 of hot water, too hot to bear the finger in, constantly discharging 

 gases and surrounded with crystals of sulphur^ and here also Algae 

 were found. He estimates the heat of the water in the hottest 

 parts to be as high as 194°, and in others from 176° — 149° ; but 

 no accurate observations were made there. About thirty species of 

 Algse were found, including some new ones ; it was doubtful 

 whether any Oscillaria was amongst the collection. 



As regards the Bath Thermal Waters, although they have 

 been fully and frequently dealt with from historical and medical 

 points of view, I am not aware of any recorded observations con- 

 cerning their natural history, with, however, this exception, that 

 both Harvey and Hassall in their respective manuals of the 

 " British Fresh Water Algse " mention one species of Oscillaria 

 as peculiar to the Bath Waters, viz., O. tenuissima, which is 

 described as occurring in irregular, broad, velvet- like patches of a 

 dark green colour. The irregularity of its appearance arises 

 from the filaments being collected together into little ascending 

 tufts, apparently rooted in the muddy deposit of the water. 

 Each tuft proves on examination to consist of simple, uniform, 

 even filaments, crowded together and quite pellucid, and equally 



