ate middle has six projecting arms, (three 
126 Scientific Intelligence. 
requires no recommendation, to judge from the results which have 
already ensued. His own efforts with respect to coal had never been 
attended with success, and he therefore considers this method as a most 
useful and important discovery. He further stated that the clearness 
of the specimens (which were, it was to be regretted, not numerous) 
communicated by M. Scuutz had astonished him, and, as might have 
been expected, had immediately been attended with a result. Prof. 
Exnrensere had during many years brought before the Academy de- 
scriptions of the parts of plants (containing silica) which are found in 
marshy soils of all zones and in the infusorial deposits, and had like- 
wise alluded to their origin from recent plants. This group, called 
Phytolitharia, had been as it were classified by him into eleven genera. 
OF these eleven genera only one is found in several forms in the puri- 
fied siliceous ash of the coal forwarded by M. Scuunz, namely the 
genus Lithostylidium, which contains regular siliceous nuclei of cells 
of plants. Lithodontia, or marginal teeth of grasses, Lithodermatia, 
or epidermis of plants ( Binsiveitated Arundinacea), could not be dis- 
tinctly recognized, although the presence of the latter may be presumed. 
Other negative results were also particularly remarkable, namely the 
absence of all Lithasterisci, Lithosphere, Spongolites, &c. &c., oth- 
erwise so frequent. Finally, no trace of infusoria possessing a sili- 
ceous shell was found, notwithstanding the most careful investigation. 
He concluded by expressing a conviction that a rapid development 
of our knowledge on this subject would, now that a method had been 
discovered, undoubtedly take place, and a wish that this may be the 
commencement of its study. 
54. On some New Species of American Desmidiacea, from the Cats- 
kill Mountains; by J. W. Battey.—During the month of August, 
1845, I collected from the ponds near the Catskill Mountain House, @ 
portion of the sediment adhering to various submerged bodies, and on 
submitting it to microscopic examination, I found it unusually rich in 
interesting organisms. Among these were some which appeared to me 
to be so novel and interesting, as to merit being placed on record by at 
least the following brief notice. 
1. Euastrum muricatum, (figs. 1 and Fig. 1. Fig. 2. 
2.) Body binary, each half divided by Z 
deep indentaticns into three transverse 
portions, of which the one nearest the 
-0n aside,) and the other two have each 
four arms (two on a side.) 
This is one of the most remarkable 
: of Euastrum which I have yet 
