202 



PASSING VISITS TO THE RICE LAKE, PdVER HUMBER, GRENADIER'S POND, &c. 



[1855. 



is parasitic upon tlie stems and leaves of other plants, decayed 

 wood, &c. In shape it is perfectly circular, composed, 

 apparently of radii from the centre to the circumference ; the 

 plant is beautifully and intensely green. 



The element of this plant, as analyzed by much higher 

 magnifying power is shewn at I, it consists of a number of 

 cells, each one being nearly square, and containing a dense, 

 square shaped nucleus — the series of cells taper up to an 

 exceedingly fine point (i). 



It is worthy of remark, that Dr. Leidy, of Philadeljahia, has 

 described, in a paper entitled " The flora and fauna within 

 Animals," and published by the Smithsonian Institution, a 

 plant very much resembling this, as having been found by him 

 in the stomach of one species of Julus, which is a vegctahle 

 feeder; and as we find the plant existing in great abundance, 

 we cannot but think that, so far from constituting a parasitical 

 growth in the creatures stomach, that it had simply conveyed 

 the specimens found, into its interior, as its legitimate food. 



We found, also, a very singular plant perfectly spherical, and 

 in that form we could gain no idea of its structure; on making 

 a section of it, it presented the appearance represented at C, — ■ 



Another alga remains to be described ; it is seen at D, 

 and is as beautiful as its predecessors. The entire plant is 

 discoid, such as represented ; no section, or manipulation of 

 any kind has been attempted here. It will be seen that the 

 entire surface is divided into a series of square cells, each one 

 containing a nucleus of densely coloured green matter — the 

 regularity of these cells is very remarkable. That this is a 

 perfect plant is evidenced by the sporangia shewn at e, c, 

 which are really much more numerous on the original, than 

 represented in the figure. 



To the best of our belief, this and the preoeeding plants are 

 entirely new, not having been described by any one so far as 

 we know. 



From the Grenadier's pond we obtained a beautiful specimen 

 of Conferva in conjugation, (zygnema quininum ?) which latter 

 fact gives it a sole claim to notice here. The cells of 

 chlorophylle have been aggregated in the upper cells, and 

 passed by the connecting tubes, developed for the purpose, into 

 the lower series of cells which belong to the other plant, in 

 which they appear as rounded masses. 



This process accomplished, the inosculating lips part, and 

 each plant walks away whither it will ; it is most probable that 

 the upper exhausted tubes are left to perish, whilst the 

 developement of new growths takes place from the fecundated 

 lower cells. 



being composed of isolated strings of cells, which crossed each 

 other in all directions. These cells are beautifully green, and 

 contrast favourably with the remarkably diaphanous ground on 

 which they are placed : one cannot at all see how these strings 

 of cells are connected together, there is no appearance of 

 membrane, and yet a definite form is given to the mass — 

 doubtless, the very transparent something is the collenchynia, 

 described by Mohl and Henfrey. 



There is some doubt whether this be a perfect plant ; that 

 the former specimen is so, admits of no doubt, as its surface 

 was covered with sporangia. 



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Many specimens of Spongia-fluviatilis we found, and amongst 

 them a new species, if we may judge from the form of the 

 siliceous spiculae. B is a figure of a spiculum, remarkable for its 

 tri-radiate character. 



From a pond on the Island we obtained a Conferva, of 

 singular minuteness, also caught in the act of conjugation, 

 but the period is a very important one, namely, the large 

 masses of chlorophyle are seen in transitu — tightly wedged in 

 the tube which, for the present, connects the two plants. 



The Island of Barbadoes is remarkable for the possession of 

 a Chalk containing a very large per centage of the (presumed) 

 loricae of extinct animalcules. Their size is (miscroscopically 

 speaking) colossal, and they exhibit forms not found any where 

 else in the known world. A figure of one of them, resembling 

 a jar with a lid to it, is shewn at A. 



