i>7() THK AMKRICAN MONTHLY [Oct. 



appear in the nu)st outre of fantastic, and even monstrous de- 

 partures from their respective types. 



I will stJite briefly some features of my \vt)rk alhultMl to. On 

 the 17th of Peeeraher, 18S(>, 1 read to the New York Microscop- 

 ical Soeiety, a paper on " Raising Diatoms in the Laboratory," 

 whieh contained in substance the work of two years. The ex- 

 periments were conducted at my residence, Freehold, N. J., and 

 in sea-water, although 20 miles from the ocean. E irly in the 

 Spring of 1870, with the intention of instituting a mirine aijua- 

 rium at my inland home, I procured from the sea a supply of 

 water in a large wicker-covered vessel. The water was obtained 

 at high-tide, and was so turbid that it had the color of we^.k c )f- 

 fee : but reliance was placed on its clearing by .^^Jdim Mitation. 

 Tlie vessel was })ut in a dark cellar, where it was undisturbed, 

 and in truth became almost forgotten, as I was not able to carry 

 out my intention. After fourteen years of darkness, and undis- 

 turbeil quietude, a little incident brought to mind the sea-water 

 in tlie cellar. .A tuft of the pretty Hydro'id, Sertalarla argeatea, 

 having been sent me by a fisherman, into a small glass jar was 

 carefully i)Oured about a half litre of my sea-water. Into this 

 the Sertularin was placed, and tlie whole was set in an eastern 

 window. 



I had before supj)Osed tlie Hydroid was fresh from the sea 

 but Itadly dried during the transit. Th-^re w is a faint liopethat 

 some of the zooids might be living. All tiii-J was in hippy igno- 

 rance of the fact, learned afterw irds, that the specimen had 

 liung for months as a curio in tlie fisherman's home. 



However, vitality was evinced where it wis not expected. In 

 about six weeks a discoloration was noticed of the bottom of 

 the jar which was irregularly covered with light brown patches. 

 •My surprise was great, when, having put some of th\3 brow i 

 matter under the microscope it i)roved to be composed entirely 

 of diatoms. 



I then took from my sea-water in the cellar the same quantity 

 in a similar jar, making sure to avoid every cause of error. 

 This jar conUiining nothing but the sea-water was set beside the 

 fir-'t one. In six weeks similar light brown ))atches appeared on 

 the floor of the jar. This matt"»r examined with the microscope 

 proved also to consist entirely of diatoms. Some of thisgrowth 

 was collected in a small phial, and sent to Prof. TI. L. Smith, 



