4 M. FOSLIE. [1899 



glass. It appears at first to have formed minute, irregular crusts, 

 however soon becoming confluent, and at length forming crust- 

 complexes of indefinite extent, partly approaching in habit fig. A. 

 1 — 2 partly fig C. 14 — 15 1. c, here and there vvith small holes 

 from a number of trumbling but not fuU}^ anastomosing crustlets. 

 Seen from above the specimen partly is composed of at least two, 

 probably more layers of cells over each other partly only a solitary 

 layer here and there in the outer and young parts of the crust- 

 complex. The latter cells are from above 4 — 10 /^- long and 3 — 4 

 IJ. broad, and on the whole rather varying. In fig. A. 3 1. c. which 

 is rather different from the primary la\^er of cells in the said spe- 

 cimen, small cortical cells are represented. I have not seen such, 

 but here and there cells or groups of cells which are set off by 

 darker contents than the adjaceni ones, probably being such which 

 are on the point of dividing. In parts of the crust with more than 

 one layer of cells, the latter frequently are square or roundish seen 

 from above, about 8 p. in diameter, or 7 by 9 jj-, but on the whole 

 also here rather var3/ing. The conceptacles are numerous, 150 — 

 200 jj- in diameter seen from above. 



I have not had the opportunity to dissect the above specim.en 

 which perhaps is the only type in existence, but notwithstanding 

 this I do not hesitate to identify it with a Melobesia from Ply- 

 mouth, collected by Air. Batters in '2 — b^lo fa thorns water, and 

 also this attached to glass. It in part agrees with Crouan"s plant 

 in habit, and the cells are similar to those in the latter, and so 

 also as regards the conceptacles. 



The present species appears on the whole to be very varying 

 in shape. Sometimes it forms small orbicular crusts with crenu- 

 late margin, but on closer examinafion shown to be composed of 

 several anastomosing, minute crusts, often without any perceptible 

 limit, althought here and there with small holes, sometimes and 

 most frequently very irregular in outline, and now and then. sending 

 forth shorter or longer offshoots occasionally composed of only 

 two or even one row of cells in the breadth. Besides it in a young 

 state (1 — 2 mm.) often is almost radiating, sometimes nearly fla- 

 bellate, or lobed, and giving the impression of Melobesia caUitham- 



