60 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XV. No. 367. 



It cannot be doubted that future study- 

 will prove these valleys to play an interest- 

 ing part in the local distribution of marine 

 life, particularly in the bathymetrie dis- 

 tribution. Whether currents ever flow 

 through them from the deeper waters to- 

 ward land or not, certain it is that the 

 temperature and pressure conditions within 

 them are the same as for corresponding 

 depths elsewhere ; they must, consequently, 

 form natural roads whereby deeper water 

 species may reach nearer shore than they 

 otherwise would. 



BIOLOGICAL. 



Diatomes. — Mr. Adler-Mereschkowsky 

 came to California for the purpose of 

 studying the diatomes of the West Ameri- 

 can coast. He has already published a list 

 of California species. The summer's work 

 at the San Pedro laboratory resulted, so far 

 as the studies have yet gone, in identifying 

 fifty known species and ten new ones, with 

 one new genus. 



But the most fruitful part of Mr. Adler- 

 Mereschkowsky 's work was that on the en- 

 dochrome of these organisms. His observa- 

 tions here have led him to conclusions 

 widely different from the prevailing views 

 concerning these bodies. 



Protozoa. — There occurred during the 

 summer on the coast of southern California 

 what might be called a Peridinium epi- 

 demic, for the people even, who resort in 

 large numbers to many sea-shore points 

 during the summer months, did not escape 

 the noxious effects of the visitation. 



No similar occurrence of this organism 

 on the Pacific coast of North America is 

 recorded so far as I am aware. Indeed, in- 

 quiry among many old fishermen, and 

 longshore seamen, who have been familiar 

 vsdth the region for many years, elicited the 

 affirmation, in everj'^ instance, that such a 

 thing had never before taken place within 

 the period of their acquaintance with the 

 coast. As full a study of the phenomenon 



was made as the facilities at our command 

 would permit, and the results as brought 

 together by Mr. H. B. Torrey are now with 

 the American Naturalist for publication. 

 A summary only of these results is, con- 

 sequently, given here: 



1. The duration of the visitation of the 

 organism in sufficient quantity to appreci- 

 ably color the water was from about July 

 7 to September 1, 1901. 



2. The geographical extent of the phe- 

 nomenon was from Santa Barbara at the 

 north to San Diego at the south, at least 

 (it may have extended farther south, but 

 we have no reports from more southerly 

 points) ; and in general from the shore out 

 from four to six miles. 



3. Nowhere were the organisms dis- 

 tributed uniformly over considerable areas, 

 but were confined more or less completely 

 to bands or strips varying from a few to 

 many meters in vsddth. They extended to 

 the bottom at a depth of six fathoms at 

 least; but the appliances for determinirig 

 the bathymetrie range were not sufficiently 

 accurate to produce wholly reliable results. 



4. The color imparted to the water 

 varied from a light brown, where the or- 

 ganisms were in moderate numbers, to a 

 vermilion, where they were in greatest 

 abundance. The red coloration was due 

 to material of this color contained in 

 the nucleus. At night the phosphores- 

 cent display, at the slightest agitation of 

 the water, was truly wonderful. 



5. The presence of the organisms in such 

 enormous numbers disturbed the biological 

 equilibrium to a marked degree through 

 the whole area. Several species of fishes, 

 crustaceans, holothurians, star-fishes, and 

 molluscs, in particular, suffered a severe 

 mortality, and showed various unmistak- 

 able evidences of discomfiture. 



6. The injurious effects were apparently 

 due entirely to crowding and the contami- 

 nation of the water. The odor at times on 



