Philip: Yorkshire Diatoins. 15 



from Roche Abbey Lake with those of Mr. J. N. Coombe 

 recorded in the ' Naturalist ' for November 1905 for the same 

 water. Of the 58 species mentioned by Mr Coombe, 36 were 

 found ag-ain on this occasion, and in addition the following- : 



Achnanthes microcephala Kutz. Nitsschia dissipata (Kutz.) Grun. 



Janceolata Breb. vars. media and acuta. 



Cocconeis pedicnhis Y.Y.r. ,, dehilis {Xr^oXX) GvMn. 



Cymbella amphicephala Naeg. ,, apiadata (Greg.) Grun. 



Gomphonema acuminatum Ehr. ,. Palea (Kutz. fCrun. and 



,, panndum Kutz. van fonticola. 



Navicula baciUum Ehr. ,, recta Hantzsch. 



G«'5/a?<w (Ehr.) Donk. Surirella ovalis var. Crumena 



,, /lumdis Donk. Breb. 



,, Pupu la Kutz. Sta urone is Smithii Grun. 



Xifsschia acicularis \V. Sm. Synedra radians (Kutz.) Grun. 



The tnost prominent form was still Pleiirosigma atteniiattun 

 with unusually larg^e frustules, as found by Mr. Coombe. 

 Fragilaria capuciiia was present in three varieties, the type 

 form (common in most fresh-water g^athering-s) ; the var. 

 niesolepta, and a third variety which I have not previously seen 

 described. Instead of the constriction in the median portion 

 of valve, which is characteristic of the var. mesolepta^ there 

 was a distinct dilatation. 



In Maltby village there is a spring- to which local belief 

 attributes mysterious virtue. When I went down to take a 

 g-athering- from the brown fringe that festoons the water in its 

 rocky basin, there was an ancient rustic engaged in filling a 

 farm water-cart. ' Aye,' said he, ''tis real good watter, the best 

 for many a mile round — and puts moor stuff in a man's boans.' 

 To my ears this sounded as rather dubious praise, but to my 

 doubtful query, the aged one staunchly responded, ' I doa'nt 

 know nowt aboot that, but I've supped this watter for moor nor 

 seventy year, and I've never had roomatiz in my life.' To this 

 unsolicited testimonial no cavilling was possible, so I meekly 

 filled my tubes, wondering whether this marvellous water would 

 yield anything special in its algae. The principal form proved 

 to be Meridion cirnilare^ whose graceful whorls are familiar 

 to all diatom students. The most uncommon was Synedra 

 ulna var. vitrea, whiih was also fairly abundant. About a 

 dozen other species, all rather common, have been mentioned 

 as occurring in other waters. 



1906 January i 



