94 



Springsfeld, in 1752, and Mr. Scherer, of Vienna, 

 in 1787, were the first who wrote upon the greenmatter 

 (materia viridis) of the hot waters of Carlsbad, and, 

 after them, the celebrated algologue A. C. Agardh 

 (Almanack de Carlsbad, for 1834, ch. IV.) described 

 particularly the Oscillatoriae and a few Frustuliae ; I 

 he repeated the same description in his Conspectus I 

 Diatomearwn, of which we find again the drawings, 

 probably taken from some entirely dried and decayed 

 specimens, in his Icones Alaar. Europ. Tab. 1 2. 



HABITATION OF THE ANIMALCULES. 



An attentive observer will scarcely pass near the 

 springs of Carlsbad (or any other hot mineral water) 

 without remarking upon the wood and stones, which 

 surround the wells, a limy and gelatinous green stuff, 

 thicker or thiner, and often lamellous. Plenty of it 

 is to be seen upon the boards, stones and pipes, 

 which surround the hot wells , at their outlets , in 

 short, in every place where the hot water runs or 

 transudes. Carefully examined , that unctuous and 

 gelatinous substance is composed of myriads of ele- 

 gantly and symmetrically formed beings, most of them 

 belonging to the animal kingdom 5 and their forms, 

 their mode of life and of propagation can only excite 

 the highest degree of astonishment. 



