54 Transactions of the 



I had seen here, and in which the late Reverend President had 

 taken such an interest, and I made a careful microscopical exami- 

 nation of this specimen, and communicated the following results to 

 him. On removing the stopper of the bottle an opaque semi-gela- 

 tinous film covered the surface of the water : upon examination it 

 appeared full of minute granules; ^hile round its s^mi-globular 

 masses, Paramecia in every size ^nd stage of growth were spotting 

 and voraciously feeding (Fig. 1). The layer of blue contained no 

 life, nor any particles of an appreciable size, while the mud seemed 

 nothing else than the disintegrated particles of the green spirals 

 of a fortnight ago. After the uncorking of the bottle and this 

 microscopical examination the blue colour became diffused, and the 

 Dichroic character of the fluid became like that brought to this 

 Society. I wrote to the late Piev, Mr. Reade, giving him this life 

 history of Phycocyan, and at his wish I bring it before the notice 

 of the Fellows. About a fortnight after this I examined the fluid, 

 when it teemed with Vibriones ; all the Dichroic appearance had 

 gone, and the Paramecia had disappeared, but it had been closely 

 corked, and having no vegetation to aerate the water, they were 

 probably killed. Upon a recent examination of the sediment 

 abundant AmcBbifbrm bodies were seen in all sizes, and animal life 

 of a low form was very abundant, but for the last week or so the 

 bottle has remained indoors uncorked, thus afi'ording air for the 

 development of life. I leave the explanation of this colour to 

 others, and only state' the facts as they appeared to me. 



BiSHOPSBouKNE Eectory, Nov. 19, 1870. 



My deae Mk. White, — Pray send a note without delay to the 

 Microscopical Journal, describing your interesting experiment upon 

 Phycocyan, which entirely confirms my views and Mr. Sheppard's as 

 described at the last meeting. The fluid consists, as you also show, 

 of opaque red i:)articles and the blue solution. Youi' coloured solution 

 was formed without the addition of albumen, as was also Mr. Shep- 

 pard's in his first experiment, where the albuminous eggs supplied 

 what was wanting, as is the case in your exiieriment: so we may say 

 that the simplicity of Phycocyan depends upon its duplicity. 



I return your two drawings, that you may have them engi'aved on 

 wood. With many thanks, 



Believe mc very truly yours, 



J. B. Eeade. 



(P.S. — You might send this note to the Journal, as a preface to 

 yours. I am so weak that a friend writes for me. — J. B. R.) 



