ANABALNA. 281 



little pea to that of a melon. These tufts, which appear afar 

 off cloud-like, are placed at a distance, the one from the other. 

 One would consider them immovable ; but seen nearer, they 

 enjoy a veritable power of locomotion which allows of their 

 being met at all heights in the waters. I have observed this 

 year again a prodigious quantity of it at Gentbrugghe, near 

 Gand." Bory. 



Mr. Thompson, who was the first to notice in Ireland this 

 species, observes, in his remarks on it in the " Annals of Natural 

 History," loc. cit. " In Ballydrain Lake I have, both in 1838 

 and 1839, remarked its presence on very calm days, for it is 

 only at such times visible during the month of July, August, 

 and September, and then it appears in the most sheltered 

 creeks only, floating in patches of various dimensions." 



It has not yet been found in Great Britain. 



34. ANABAINA Bory. 



Char. " Filaments frequently elegantly moniliform, curved, 

 invested with mucous matter, and having a vermicular 

 motion resembling that of worms." Bory. Reproduction 

 consisting of sporules contained in enlarged cells, the form 

 and size of which varies according to the species. 



Derivation. From ava, up, and ftcuva), to mount. 



" Their movement exhibits a relation with that by means 

 of which the earthworms move from place to place ; they are 

 progressive, and the curves which they describe are of extreme 

 slowness. It is by this ambulatory faculty principally that 

 the aquatic species elevate themselves to the surface of the 

 water, traversing the length of Conferva and the remains of 

 vegetables, mount to the surface of reeds and carices, pene- 

 trate the slime and the Oscillatorice, which they surmount in 

 such a way that they merit the uame derived from the 

 Greek, by which we have proposed to designate them." 



The remarks of Bory in the above quotation appear to me to 

 be somewhat fanciful and overstrained. I much doubt whether 

 this mounting upwards of the Anabaina partakes in any de- 



