OR, THE HOME-CULTURE OF FRESH-WATER PLANTS. 
branched character of its stems, and its smooth, 
pellucid appearance. The Chara lledwegia and 
Char a hispida are both very elegant, and their 
somewhat angular forms would afford an agree¬ 
able variety to the other vegetation. Their pre¬ 
sence is indicated in the plate of fish. (Plate IY.) 
Of the fresh-water Algce the most interesting sec¬ 
tions are, perhaps, the Quiverworts, or Oscillatorice , 
the singular movements of which have led to many 
conjectures and to much discussion among learned 
naturalists. They have been thought by some to 
form, in fresh-water, the same link between vegetable 
and animal life as that of some of the lower order 
of marine polyps. In short, the subject is so at¬ 
tractive, that I make no apology for introducing 
here the interesting paper on the subject read by 
Professor Knowles, of Birmingham, at the late meet¬ 
ing of the British Association at Cheltenham :— 
“ ON THE OSCILLATORIiE, BY PROFESSOR KNOWLES, 
“ OE queen’s COLLEGE, BIRMINGHAM. 
“ The Oscillatorice belong to a group of plants 
which seem to stand intermediately between the 
animal and vegetable kingdoms. 
“ With regard to the extraordinary movements 
observable in this interesting family of Algce , I have 
41 
