336 PROTOCOCCE^. 



ally found in this country in the form of a thin, stain-like 

 stratum on the surface of rocks, or investing decayed vege- 

 table substances with a purplish crust. On examination 

 under the microscope, it is found to be composed of innu- 

 merable spherical bodies, seated upon a gelatinous substra- 

 tum. The globules are of various sizes, probably depending 

 upon age. At first they are furnished with a wide pellucid 

 border, and contain a deep red homogeneous mass. As they 

 increase in size, this border gradually becomes narrower, and 

 at length altogether disappears, while the internal mass, 

 which at first was simple, becomes broken into numerous 

 distinct granules or seeds, which are finally discharged. Red 

 snow, we are informed by Professor Agardh in his interesting 

 memoir on the Protococcus *, was first observed by Dr. Saus- 

 sure in the year 1760, on Mount Beven, in Switzerland, and 

 subsequently so frequently among the Alps, that he was sur- 

 prised how such a phenomenon should have escaped the 

 attention of other travellers, especially Scheuchzer. Ra- 

 mond found red snow on the Pyrenees, and the botanist 

 Sommerfeldt in Norway. At the beginning of the century 

 it was noticed on several of the mountains of Italy, along 

 the Apennines; and in March, 1808, the whole country 

 round Cadore, Belluno, and Feltre was covered in one night 

 to the depth of twenty centimetres with a rose-coloured snow, 

 a pure white snow having fallen before and after, so that the 

 coloured snow formed an intermediate stratum. The same 

 fact is recorded at the same time in several other Italian 

 localities. Still red snow excited little attention among 

 botanists, and had not obtained a place in our scientific 

 arrangements until Captain Ross discovered it in Baffin's 

 Bay, covering tracts of some miles in extent, and penetrating 

 in some places to the depth of ten or twelve feet. The spe- 

 cimens brought home by this celebrated traveller were sub- 

 mitted to Mr. Bauer and Mr. Brown, to be examined 



* Nova Acta Phys. Med. Academiae Cas. Leop Car. Nat. Cuv. vol xii. 

 p. 737. Translated in Grev. Crypt. Fl. vol. iv. sub. t. 231. 



