356 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
II.— OBSERVATIONS ON THE PLANKTON OF BUZZARDS BAY. 
In order to contribute toward a knowledge of tbe quality, quantity, life-history, 
aud conditions of environment of this primary food supply, consisting of Protozoa, 
Protophyta, free-swimming larva: aud the like, many observations were made during 
the earlier part of the summer of 1894 with respect to the surface water in the larger 
harbor at Woods Hole, where collections of the organisms were systematically obtained 
from measured quantities of the water at different times of the day aud tide, and under 
different conditions of temperature. Likewise, by means of the steamer Fish Hawlc , 
which was provided with suitable apparatus for the purpose,* I was enabled to collect 
many samples from the waters of Buzzards Bay, not only at the surface, but also at 
mid-depth and at the bottom. A definite section was laid out across the bay (see 
plate 64, Stations I-Y) aud another running longitudinally (Stations A-D) through 
the same body of water some distance out to sea. These lines of section were divided 
into equal intervals with definite stations established, in order that a rigid system of 
representative localities might be followed, by a study of which a knowledge of the 
bay as a whole might be increased: and it is earnestly hoped that these studies may 
be but a preliminary to wider observations which may reveal to some degree at least 
the possibilities of such lines of research in the understanding of the biology of these 
littoral waters. 
If one will dip up a small dish of sea water and place in it some bits of algae 
scraped from a pile or an old float it will, especially if allowed to stand a day or 
two in the laboratory, present a wonderful complex of organisms of the most varied 
types. In order to express some of the ways in which the organisms in common sea 
water interact upon one another I have given in plate 65 some pen-and-ink drawings 
illustrating, as well as I could by these means, the comparative forms and sizes of 
some of the commonest types, under a magnification of about a thousand diameters. 
(A partial identification of these is given in the explanation of this plate.) 
If, now, one can imagine all these organisms as seen alive under the microscope, 
there would appear the greatest diversity of habits. For instance, the large infu- 
sorian c glides swiftly and gracefully through the field, turning this way and that, 
bending with its flexible body around or under or over obstacles, stopping now at a 
colony of bacteria, now at a diatom, searching, as it were, for material suitable to 
its taste. As the cell is figured in the drawing it is occupied apparently in digging 
with its band of strong cilia at the colony of bacteria against which it rests; after 
remaining in this locality, even for several minutes, it suddenly turned about to the 
left, quickly ate the diatom there represented, and glided out of the field of vision. 
Other infusoria are constantly appearing; thus the Mesodinium m represented in the 
center of the plate is a rapid mover by means of the strong blades of the membranellse 
placed upon one face of it. This cell also is a strong swimmer and a predaceous 
consumer of many organisms inferior to itself in size. Just above the last-named 
cell are represented two flagellates, at 7c, whose flexible flagella give the character- 
istic rolling movement of the organisms. Three other small flagellate infusoria are 
* In addition to large funnels with detachable tubes, in which a film of sand is laid upon a roll of 
wire gauze (which closes the bottom end of the tube of the funnel), for filtering out the organic 
material, the large steam pump of the vessel was used in drawing up water from any desired depth 
through a 2-inch hose. 
