94 NOTES ON DIATOMACE^l. 



banks. The subject is one of much interest, and one to which I 

 shall continue to devote myself as opportunities offer. 



As far as I am aware the above list is the only one yet publish- 

 ed concerning the microscopic organisms of this Province : in- 

 deed I think it doubtful whether any one has hitherto even 

 examined our microscopic flora. The list is at present an imper- 

 fect one, and will be undoubtedly increased by farther observation. 



It may, however be taken as a very fair list of the characteris- 

 tic diatomaceous forms from the lower St. John. I have not yet 

 had the opportunity to make examinations of gatherings from other 

 portions of the stream. A few forms however, collected, from the 

 surface of stranded ice during the opening of the river last 

 Spring, may be interesting, and are given below. The number of 

 all of these were very great ; comparatively few different species 

 were detected. They were as follows : 



Organisms observed in melting ice of St. John River. 



Fragilaria capucina. 

 Tabellaria flocculosa. 

 Cymbella Helvetica. 

 Odontidium mesodon. 



Eunotia monodon. 

 " Arcus. 



Cocconema lanceolatum. 

 Nilzschia Amphioxys. 

 Surirella 

 Gomphonema geminatum. 



" accuminatum. 



Synedra Ulna. 

 Pinnularia mesolepta. 



The following forms, including Desmids, Diatoms, and Infusoria, 

 were found in a small pond upon the summit of the hill back of 

 the University buildings, at Fredericton. 



Euastrum, 

 Micrasterias crenata. 



" denticulata. 



— Rota. 



Didymocladon. 

 Closterium. 

 Meridion circulate. 

 Volvox globater. 



I had hoped in the present article to bring before the Society 

 the economic importance of these microscopic organisms, and 

 more especially the assistance they will eventually afford in the 

 determination of the age of many geological deposits from which 

 all traces of organic life have disappeared. This is a particularly 

 interesting subject, and one on which I hope to bring forward 

 some new facts. As the discussion however is necessarily a length- 

 ened one, and as the time at my disposal is now too limited to do 

 the subject full justice, I must beg leave to postpone the remain- 

 der to some future period. I shall then attempt to discuss this 



