9 
Osmunda regalis. Sea Scale, Gosforth, &c., common. 
Botrychium Lunaria. Braystones, and Muncaster Fell. 
Ophioglossum vulgatum. St. Bees meadows, plentiful. 
Lycopodium clavatum. Wastwater screes. 
alpinum. Wastwater screes. 
tnundatum. Wastdale, side of lake. 
Selago. Ennerdale Fells. - 
ie Selaginoides. Ennerdale Fells. 
Tsoetes lacustris. Ennnerdale Lake, and Lizza. 
Equisetum fiuviatile. Irt banks. 
BS, arvense. Gosforth corntields. 
sylvaticum. Irton woods. 
55 limosum. Ennerdale, near lake. 
Be palustre. Thwaites, Cold Fell. 
Pilularia globulifera. Emnnerdale Lake. 
Chara flexilis. Emnnerdale Lake. 
» aspera. Ennerdale Lake. 
29 
39 
29 
39 
JOSEPH ROBSON. 
July 4, 1853. 
On preserving the Balance between the Animal and Vegetable 
Organisms in Sea Water. By R. Warineton, Esq.* 
In the published notices of my experiments of 1849, to maintain 
the balance between the animal and vegetable organisms in a con- 
fined and limited portion of water, the fact was demonstrated, that, in 
consequence of the natural decay of the vegetation, its subsequent 
decomposition and the mucus-growth to which it gave rise, this 
balance could only be sustained for a very short period, but, if ano- 
ther member were introduced, which would feed upon the decaying 
vegetation and thus prevent the accumulation of these destructive pro- 
ducts—a function most admirably performed by the various species of 
water-snail—such balance was capable of being continuously main- 
tained without the slightest difficulty ; and I may add, that the expe- 
rimental proof of this has now been carried on, in a small tank in the 
heart of London, for the last four years and a half, without any change 
or disturbance of the water; the loss which takes place by evapora- 
tion being made up with rain or distilled water, so as to avoid any 
* Read at the Hull Meeting of the British Association, and communicated by the 
Author, for publication in the ‘ Phytologist.’ 
VOL. IV. C 
