26 
NEW OR CRITICAL BRITISH ALGjE. 
Although a longer period than is altogether desirable has elapsed 
since the appearance of the first part of the “ Phycological Memoirs,” 
the second part is none the less welcome, more especially as it fully 
sustains the reputation obtained by its predecessor. The plates, 
printing, and whole “ get up ” of the part are admirable, and the 
volume, when completed, will, we may anticipate, be worthy of the 
great institution within whose walls the researches, the results of 
which it records, have been made. The first paper in the present 
part deals with some obscure points in the morphology of the 
Fuccicece , which had been left untouched in Oltmann’s rather dis- 
appointing monograph of that order. Coccophora Langsdorfii , 
Grev., and Seirococcus axillaris , Grev.,, are figured, and their 
structure described in a very interesting paper by Miss Lorrain 
Smith, while a similar service is performed for Xiphophora Bil- 
lardierii , Mont., by Miss Barton, for Notheia anomala, Bail, et 
Uarv., by Miss Mitchell, and for Sarcophycus potatorum, Kiitz, by 
Miss Whitting. The figures of these plants are well and ac- 
curately drawn, and the descriptions sufficient, and the papers are 
welcome as gathering together, in an easily accessible form, all the 
information we possess with regard to these little-known plants. 
Taken in conjunction with the paper on Splachnidium rugosum , 
Grev., by Miss Mitchell and Miss Whitting, these notes clear up 
much that was formerly obscure in this fucoid group. The next 
paper is devoted to the description of a new endophyte — Chloro- 
cystis sarcophyci— which, together with the distorted tissues of 
the last plant, forms gall -like excrescences on the fronds of Sar- 
cophycus potatorum , Kiitz. These excrescences were first noticed 
by Mr. Bracebridge Wilson, who, finding they were caused by an 
unicellular alga, sent specimens for investigation to the British 
Museum. Miss Whitting has carefully examined the material 
sent, and has come to the conclusion that tlie endophyte belongs 
to the genus Chlorocystis , but to a species hitherto unknown. The 
diagnosis of the new species is as follows : — “ Cellulis globosis 
oblongis vel irregularibus, 10-40 p diam., in statu vegetativo 
viridibus, in matrice omnino inclusis, collo destituto, zoogonidia 
emittentibus. Hab. in Sarcophyci frondibus ad oras Novas 
Hollandias propi Geelong. Coll. J. Bracebridge Wilson.” The 
third paper, by Geo. Murray, deals with the closely related genera 
Halicystis and Valonia. After giving an account of the geo- 
graphical distribution of Halicystis ovalis , Mr. Murray translates 
some very careful and interesting notes on that species, furnished 
by Professor F. Schmitz. Dr. Schmitz finds that the chromato- 
phores of Halicystis ovalis are roundish or oval discs of somewhat 
varying size and rounded outline, never sharply angular or lobed, 
and wholly without pyrenoids. The nuclei are very numerous and 
minute, and are scattered amongst the chromatophores. Speaking 
of the characters which distinguish Halicystis from Valonia , 
Dr. Schmitz continues : “ The nuclei of Valonia are much more 
compact and more evenly distributed at fairly regular distances in 
