517 



N. arcticum, Berk. On wet and boggy slopes around Assis- 

 tance Bay. When the ground becomes frozen, the plant 

 is loosened off the surface, and often blown away ; thus it 

 is found far out at sea on the ice, and sometimes full of 

 Podurce which may have hatched from ova laid in it on 

 land. Edible. Nostoc edule, Berk. & Mont., is used as 

 food in China. 



Falmellese. 



Hsematococcus minutissimus, Hass. Wet stones on island, 



north side of Baring Bay, N. lat. 75° 49'. 

 Protococcus nivalis, Ag. lied crust on stones in stream, 



winter quarters, July 1851. Also on snow and ice as 



usual. 



Desmidie^. 



Cosmarium crenatum, Kalfs, and C. pyramidatum, Breb. On 

 Nostoc Sutherlandi. Found also by Dr. Dickie at a considerable 

 elevation in N.E. Scotland. 



Arthrodesmus minutus, Kiitz. With Diatoma Jlocculosum, in 

 fresh water (melting snow), 100 feet above the wea, on island, 

 N. lat. 73° 20', W. long. 57°, 22 June, 1850. 



DlATOMACE^. 



Dr. Dickie states, " At my request, made previous to the depar- 

 ture of the Expedition, Dr. Sutherland paid special attention to 

 the colouring matters of ice and sea-water; samples of such from 

 different localities were carefully collected and forwarded for my 

 inspection. They were found to consist almost solely of Diato- 

 macem ; and in some instances freshwater forms were detected, 

 though rather sparingly, intermixed with others exclusively 

 marine. This is not surprising when we consider the copious 

 discharges of fresh water from the land, occasioned by the melting 

 of snow and ice during the brief summer. 



" The contents of the alimentary canal of examples of Leda, 

 Nucula, and Crenella dredged in Assistance Bay, consisted of 

 mud in a fine state of division, including also numerous Diato- 

 maceoe. identical with those colouring the ice and the water. 

 Though not a new fact, it is one of some interest in relation to 

 the existence of animal life in those high latitudes. Where 

 Diatomacece abound certain Mollusca obtain sure supplies of 

 food ; these in turn are the prey of Fishes ; these last contribute 

 to the support of marine Mammals and Birds." ..." Many of 

 the species enumerated have also been found in other parts of 

 the world ; and this confirms the ideas entertained respecting 

 their wide distribution, and the very general diffusion of these 

 minute organisms." 



From water, due to melting snow and ice, on island, N. lat. 

 73° 20', W. long. 57°, 100 feet above the sea. 



1. Achnanthesminutissima, Ag. 5. Navicula affinis, Ehr. 



2. Diatoma flocculosum, Ag. 6. N. lanceolata, Ehr. 



3. Eunotia monodon, Ehr. 7. N. n. sp. ? 



4. E. diodon, Ehr. 



