ria. the next-of-kin to inorganic matter. I live in the 

 ctation that some valiant champion may turn up who will 



carefully investigate the life-history of the Diatomacea in vi< 

 ring them to their proper place in Nature- very high a 



the actual degraded position which has been assigned to them. 



This. I feci very confident, will eventually occur, as the sole fact 



of their conjugating is a sign of superior organisation, unknown 



among the other Schizophyi 



In the following tables I have made use of a few i 

 not in general use, which need here a few words of explanation. 



I call "Marginal Rays," or simply "Hays" the radiating 



lines (called by others costal or canaliculi\ which, starting from 

 the outer margin of the valves, converge towards the interi 

 the disc. These Rays may be simple-, which is the comm 

 occurrence; or they may be moniliform, constituted by heads 



either in single or double rows ; or, finally, they may be infun 

 dibuliform, having the outline of a funnel with its lengthened 

 outlet, or o\ an old-fashioned champagne-glass with a long, 

 slender foot, or, finally — as suggested by my friend. „\Ir. Thos, 

 Comber — of a Lotus Sower and stalk. The upper broad portion 

 I call the "funnel'' while the slender part I name the "stem" 



The central portion of the valve inside of the internal termi- 

 nation of the Rays I call the "area" This area ma\ be smooth 

 and hyaline,* or it may be striah or distinctly punctate or dotted, 

 the dots forming regular lines or else being irregularly scattered. 



In one division of the genus the area becomes reduced I • a 



central median, linear, blank space or to a simple longitudinal 

 line. This is called the " Raphe" or " pseudo-Raphe " ; it shows 

 neither the central nor terminal nodules of the Navicula proper. 



All lines, bars, or smooth striae on the area I call the strict in 



contradistinction to the Rays, which have their origin at the 

 margin of the valves. :\nd which terminate before the areal stria? 

 make their appearance. 



In some cases, under very high powers a,1( ' well-managed light, this 

 smooth area shows minute or obsolete punctuation. 



