GO 



NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



Kotes from Madras. — On turning over the plates of the new 

 edition of Pritchard^s ' Infusoria/ just received, my eye was 

 arrested by the valve in the sheath of Vaginicola valvata, 

 Wright, figs. 18, 19, pi. xxix, said to be a marine species. 



In April, 1852, I discovere<i a similar valve in a species 

 differing only from V. ct'ystallina by the absence of green 

 granules and its somewhat larger size. It Avill probably be 

 found in all the genus if carefully looked for. It is easily 

 overlooked, and in my case was only satisfactorily made out 

 when the edge of the valve was turned towards the object 

 glass, and the animal was pushing it open with the anterior 

 part of its body, which it does very slowly, when extending 

 itself to feed. The action of closing the valve was too rapid 

 for the eye to follow. The animal when feeding generally 

 had the anterior half of the body bent at a right angle to the 

 sheath. 



It was attached to a common water-weed (of which I have 

 never learned the name) growing in a small tank (or gunta) 

 at Bangalore, in Mysore, 200 miles inland, and 3000 feet 

 above the level of the sea. 



As the valve, therefore, is not confined to one species, it 

 will be necessary to alter the specific name given to Dr. 

 Wright^s species. I ought to add that I had numerous sub- 

 jects, and, as my notes show me, I observed them very care- 

 fully during several days. 



DesmidiacecB — At page 98 of the Rev. J. M. Berkeley's 

 ' Introduction to Cryptogamic Botany,' I find the following 

 passage : — 



" The Desmidiacese of other countries than Europe or 

 North America have been at present but little studied, nor 

 does it appear that they are in reality numerous. Dr. 

 Hooker's Indian collection shows but a trace of them." 



