Notice of Ehrenberg's Memoir on Microscopic Life. 299 



Islands are several species which have also been found recently 

 in mud from Boston harbor; among the most remarkable of these 

 are Stauroptera aspera, Navicula Lyra, Pinnularia peregrina, &c. 



The forms from Peru were obtained from Algas sent to Ehren- 

 berg by the distinguished algologist, Dr. Montague, and from 

 swamp earth, adhering to a plant in Kunth's herbarium, which 

 was collected in the year 1777. All the genera but one (Podo- 

 sira) are European, and this one has lately been found in Iceland. 



In describing the Brazilian forms, the author states that in the 

 edible clay of the Amazon, he has detected four species of deci- 

 dedly fiuviatile siliceous infusoria, and seven species of siliceous 

 parts of plants ; among the latter is Amphidiscus rotula, which 

 also occurs at West Point, N. Y. According to the accounts of 

 trustworthy travellers, the edible infusorial clay of the Amazon, 

 exists as an elevated and wooded plain, forming an extensive stra- 

 tum, in no way resulting from the present acti' of the Amazon. 

 It is neither the sediment of a swamp, nor a product of the over- 

 flowings of the river, but an older deposit, whose age however 

 cannot yet be decided. 



In the volcanic mud, called Moya, brought from Quito by 

 Humboldt, which is so rich in carbon that it has been used as fuel, 

 Ehrenberg detected ten different species or fragments of organic 

 forms, and proved by microscopic observation that charred parts 

 of plants form a large part of this substance, mingled however 

 with fiuviatile siliceous infusoria. 



Among the numerous species from Cuba we notice Biddulphia 

 pulchella, a truly elegant form, which will probably be found at 

 many places on our sea-coast, as it has been detected near the 

 Pavilion at Rockaway, Long Island.* 



The materials from Mexico, furnished by Carl von Ehrenberg, 

 were collected at different elevations, from eight thousand five 

 hundred and fifty six feet above the sea, down to the sea itself. 

 Numerous interesting species, not only of siliceous animalcules 

 and parts of plants, but also of soft-shelled infusoria, were found. 

 The most remarkable siliceous infusorial form is the fresh-water 

 species Terpsino'e musica. which presents the appearance of a 

 double row of musical notes in a glass casket. 



* See p. 141 of the present volume of this Journal. We have also recently 

 found it, in company with many other beautiful infusorial and Polythalamian 

 forms, in mud adhering to oysters dredged at Amboy, New Jersey. 



