Notice of Ehrenberg’s ir on Microscopic Life. 299 
have also been found recently ~ 
Islands are several species 
in mud from Boston har among the most remarkable of these 
are Stauroptera aspera, cula Lyra, Pinnularia peregrina, &c. 
The forms from Peru we 
berg by the distinguished algologist, Dr. Montagne, and from 
swamp earth, adhering to a plant in Kunth’s herbarium, which 
was collected in the year 1777. All the genera but one (Podo- 
sira) are European, and this one has lately been found in Iceland. 
In describing the Brazilian forms, the author states that in the 
edible clay of the Amazon, he has detected four species of deci- 
dedly fluviatile siliceous infusoria, and seven species of siliceous 
parts of plants; among the latter is Amphidiscus rotula, which 
also occurs at West Point, N. Y. According to the accounts of 
trustworthy travellers, the edible infusorial clay of the Amazon, 
exists as an elevated and wooded plain, forming an extensive stra- 
tum, in no way resulting from the present action of the Amazon. 
It is neither the sediment of a swamp, nor a product of the over- 
flowings of the river, but an older deposit, whose age however 
cannot yet be decided. % 
In the volcanic mud, called Moya, brought from Quito by 
Humboldt, which is so rich in carbon that it has been used as fuel, 
Ehrenberg detected ten different species or fragments of organic 
forms, aud proved by microscopic observation that charred parts _ 
of plants form a large part of this substance, mingled however 
with fluviatile siliceous infusoria. 
Among the numerous species from Cuba we notice Biddulphia 
pulchella, a truly elegant form, which will probably be found at 
many places on our sea-coast, as it has been detected near the. 
Pavilion at Rockaway, Long Island.* 
The materials from Mevico, furnished by Carl von Ehrenberg, 
Were collected at different elevations, from eight thousand five 
hundred and fifty six feet above the sea, down to the sea itself. 
umerous interesting species, not only of siliceous animalcules- 
and parts of plants, but also of soft-shelled infusoria, were found. 
The most remarkable siliceous infusorial form is the fresh-water 
Species T'erpsinoé musica, which presents the appearance of a 
double row of musical notes in a glass casket. 
" See p. 141 of the present volume of this Journal. We have also recently 
found it, in company with many other beautiful infusorial and Polythalamian 
forms, in mud adhering to oysters dredged at Amboy, New Jersey. 
ee 
