1894.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 71 



versity, Cleveiaud, Oliio, who said it \v<is an ahiiost pure 

 culture of Hoefnatococcus. He says that red snow was 

 seen iu several places but no specimen was brought back, 

 evidently not referring- to the vermilion coloriMl stones. 

 But this was colored with red snow also, brighter in 

 color, but the niicroscoi)e shows it i)lainly. The water 

 was just above freezing, perhaps 33° Fahrenheit. 



This gives me an opportunity to say something on tiie 

 subject of red snow. This remarkable phenomenon 

 which is known under this name has been a subject of 

 very extensive investigation, and it is well known to be 

 the result of enormous development of a microscopic or- 

 ganism which is called Protocoacus, Chlamidococcus or 

 Hoe/natucocciis. Dr. Henfrey says he is " induced to 

 believe that more than one form is comprehended at pres- 

 ent under the name of Protococous or Hoe/natocorcus ni- 

 valis, for in a specimen of red snow (for which we are 

 indebted to the kindness of Mr. R. Brown) appears to 

 belong to the same genus as Paluiella crutnta"' as first 

 indicated by Mr. Brown, and confirmed by Sir W. J. 

 Hooker. Dr. Greville's figure of the Scotch plant closely 

 resembles this; but the continental plants described by 

 Mr. Shuttleworth and others, would seem congeneric 

 with Protococc2is, Chlaviidococcus{Chlaviidococof{s Braun, 

 Chlamidococcus Ehr.), since they produce negative zoo- 

 spores, the forms which Mr. Shuttleworth described as 

 distinct infusoria as species of astasia. Nearly con- 

 nected with this continental snow-plant ; if not identical, 

 is the Pjotococciis pluvialis, described so elaborately by 

 Dr. Cohn, which moreover appears synonymous with 

 Biscenea j^urpurea of Morren. This was in 1856. In 

 1892 I published the examination made by means of the 

 microscope of the specimens of the Greological survey of 

 California. Therein is detailed, at j)age 24 the gather- 

 ing of "red snow, from Lassen's peak, at about 10,000 to 

 3-1,000 feet, 1863. This gathering reached me dried upon 



