232 Algce and their Study, [Sess. 



scarcely a drop of water from a pond can be submitted to 

 it without detecting numerous unicellular plants, — -diatoms, 

 desmids, and similar organisms. We now turn to the fauna, 

 and there we find the inhabitants of a pond are often so 

 numerous, and comprise so many orders, that it would be 

 hopeless to attempt to enumerate them in the short time 

 at our disposal. The algae, insect life, infusorians, rotifers, 

 &c., to be found in a pond are legion, and any one division 

 of the flora or fauna of a pond might well constitute a 

 life-study. But while this is so, there is no difficulty in 

 our becoming acquainted with the life of a pond in a general 

 way, and it may be hoped that others may take up this 

 study, and therein recognise the truth of the Psalmist's 

 words, " Lord, how manifold are Thy works ! in wisdom 

 hast Thou made them all : the earth is full of Thy riches." 

 In such a study, without doubt, many happy, pleasant, and 

 profitable hours may be spent. 



[Illustrating this paper, a number of excellent slides were 

 shown. A list of objects from the pond suitable for the 

 microscope was also read.] 



Nl\\,—ALa^ AND THEIR STUDY. 

 By Mr F. L. M'KEEVER, RR.M.S. 



{Read April 27, 1910.) 



To those who have but a vague idea what the Algse really 

 are, it will be a relief to know that, among the professional 

 botanists, and even among the so-called "Algologists," there 

 is no agreement as to the exact limits which separate the 

 Algse from other cryptogamic plants. The arrangement met 

 with in most botanical text-books is the following. The lower 

 Cryptogams or Thallophytes — plants without root, stem, or 

 leaves — are divided into two classes : First, those without 

 chlorophyll are called Fungi, and under this heading the Bac- 

 teria are also ranged ; second, those called Algae, possessing 



