THE AMERICAN 



MONTHLY 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



Vol,. XIV. OCTOBER, 1893. No. 10. 



Aberrant Forms in Cultivated Diatoms. 



By DR. SAMUEL LOCKWOOD, 



FREEHOLD, N. J. 



[From Le Diaiomiste, June, 1893.] 



■WITH FRONTISPIECE. 



The instructive articles of Dr. Miquel in Le Dlatomiste, on" The 

 Artificial Cultivation of Diatoms," have recalled certain results 

 of experiments made by myself a few years ago. Some of the 

 forms then obtained were so extravagantly abnormal as to al- 

 most challenge belief. Hence it was gratifying to find corrobo- 

 ration in Dr. Miquel's skillful, and careful work. The Doctor 

 writes with charming animation on the erratic forms which he 

 sometimes obtained, and which departures from their proper 

 types, he ascribes to the predominance of certain physical and 

 chemical elements. To these developments he applies the term, 

 'teratological growths." 



Unfortunately, I am writing without his article within reach 

 for consultation, hence citation can be only ad sensum. The 

 Doctor's efforts provided for his diatoms, so far as possible in an 

 artificial culture, the most favorable and natural conditions of 

 growth In fact the culture is started and conducted upon 

 wisely intentioned methods. My own work had its origin in an 

 accident, and the two years work thus unconsciously begun, was 

 conducted upon the suggestions which arose during experi- 

 mentation. The conditions were both unnatural, and unkind. 

 Hence if under the kindly methods of Dr. Miquel occasional 

 "teratological growths" were produced, the wonder is less that 

 in my exceptional laboratory culture occasional forms should 



