Lyngbya majuscula was discovered by Miss Hill, early in the 
present century, and first described by Dillwyn, in his work on 
the British Conferve. It is well known to British naturalists, 
and has been found in several localities on our shores; but on 
the Continent it appears to have escaped notice. Agardh quotes 
Dillwyn’s figure under his Z. crispa, a plant, which, to judge by 
a specimen communicated by Agardh himself to Sir Wm. J. 
Hooker, is a very different plant, having a verdigris-green colour, 
and being thrice as slender. 
As a genus, Zyngbya is intermediate between Oscil/atoria and 
Calothriz. From the first it differs, by having long, flexible fila- 
ments, destitute of oscillatory motion; and from the latter, by 
its stratified habit. There are several species, the most common 
of which is a terrestrial one (Z. muralis), which forms a silky 
stratum of a brilliant green colour on the surface of damp 
ground, and abounds everywhere, and at all seasons. The major 
part of the species, are, however, marme ; and, besides the pre- 
sent individual, three others are found on our coasts, and will 
be figured in a future number. 
The genus Bangia has many pomts m common with Lyngbya, 
and is even united to it by Mr. Hassall, but if these genera are to 
be combined, Bangia, being the older name, must be adopted. 
Fig. 1. Lynepya mMasuscuLa; Part of a stratum :—natural size. 2. Apices 
of two filaments :—highly magnified. 
