PRINT rst SET mers 4 | ee. Soca 
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Botany and Zoology. 435 
Of course, in those cases in which the proportion of earth was small, 
the residue consisted chiefly of the insoluble organic matters, through 
which, however, Diatoms and Phytolitharia were scattered, in greater 
or smaller proportion. 
most remarkable soils in this respect were one from the Sandwich 
Islands, one from Lebanon, one from the roots of a German moss, and 
one from Ailsa Craig. 
It is to be noticed, however, that Diatomacee were found in every 
case, without exception, and that in all, their proportion to the whole 
non-calcareous earthy residue was considerable, and often large. In 
many of those where the proportion of earth was smallest, there was no 
siliceous matter in the residue, except Diatomacee and Phytolitharia. 
The soils examined were from various and distant localities; there 
were about twenty from the Andes, several from Brazil and other parts 
of South America, a few from North America, a few from the West 
Indies, one from the Sandwich Islands, one from New Zealand, a few 
rom India, one from Lebanon, a good many from Germany, some 
from France, a few from Spain, and some from Britain. 
The great majority of the species of Diatoms in all these were found 
to coincide with our British forms, but a good many species occurred 
in the exotic soils which have not yet been found in Britain, and most 
of these not even in Europe, but which have been figured by Bailey, 
Ehrenberg, Kiitzing, Rabenhorst, &c 
d 
(Lebanon), Orthosira spinosa, m., Gre 
Cymbella turgida, W. G. (Sandwich Islands), and Navicula varians, 
W. G. (various soils). 
Of such species as are unknown to Europe, I shall only mention 
here Terpsinoé musica, one of the most striking of known forms, which 
I found in the first soil I examined, which was from Brazi . Ibis ace 
companied by Nitzschia scalaris, a fine form, which occurs in Britain, 
but is far from frequent here. : “ 
Lam satisfied that a close examination of such specimens of soil, 
which are often thrown away in putting up specimens in herbaria, He 
bring to light many new forms, and supply us with many _ an 
rare species. It is very desirable that collectors of plants should pre- 
serve a little of the earth adhering to their roots, and in’ this way co- 
ious obtained. 
- Saat matinee: entirely confirm Ehrenberg’s statements as 
to the distribution of the Di ee. They furnish evidence of the 
fact that these organisms are far less affected by climate and tempera- 
ture than larger plants or animals; since many of the very same spe- 
