Notice of Ehrenberg’s ir om Microscopic Life. 297 
»Art. X.—WNotice of a . 
Extent and Influence 
merica.”’* 
by C. G. Ehrenberg, “On the 
croscopic Life in North and South 
Tuts important a by the illustrious Ehrenberg, is char- 
acterized like all the preceding works of this author, not only by 
marks of the most accurate research and indefatigable industry, 
but by the still higher merit of far-reaching philosophical views, 
and a just appreciation of the important bearings and applications 
of the facts which he has brought to light. 
Believing that this memoir is one of peculiar interest to Ameri- 
can science, we have endeavored to give in the following pages 
as correct a view of its contents as is in our power. 
The work is divided into the following seven parts, which we 
intend to notice in order. 1. Introduction. - 2. Review of the 
materials. 3. Enumeration of the American forms, according 
to the dates of observation. 4. Alphabetical review of all the 
observed and peculiar forms. 68. Characteristics of the new 
genera and species. 6. General results of these observations. 
7. Explanation of the plates. 
I. Introduction.—In the commencement, Ehrenberg remarks 
that microscopic life no longer belongs to the domain of system- _ 
atic zoology alone, but that its decided influence upon the inani- 
mate nature which every where surrounds and influences us, and 
upon the fundamental notions of life itself, have of late been re- 
" ognized, so that the subject is no longer considered merely with 
regard to its organic and physiological bearings, but for its rela- 
tions to the inorganic masses of the earth. There are many, 
however, who still wish to banish these investigations from the 
Circle of strict science, and who wonder that any one should de- 
Vote so much labor to the strict examination of such inaccessible 
and remote objects. These prejudices are compared to those 
Which prevented the importance of the first noticed electric and 
Magnetic phenomena from being appreciated, and which long 
ea 
* Verbreitung und Einfluss - Mikroskopischen Lebens in Sad und Nord 
Amerika, Ein. Vortr. rag von C. G. Ehrenberg. Gelesen in der K6nigl. Preuss. 
Akademi: ie der Wissenschaften z i Se lin, am 25 Marz und 10 Juni, 1841, mit spa- 
tern Zusatzen. Nebst 4 coloriten Kupfertabeln. Berlin, 1843. 
Vol. xiv1, No. 2,—Jan.—March, 1844. 
