42 
Current  Literature. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pliarm. 
1    January,  1915. 
or  in  pairs,  with  thick  sheaths  up  to  6  microns  in  diameter.  This 
species,  figured  by  Miss  Tilden,  has  been  reported  from  Bermuda 
by  Farlow  and  from  Montego  Bay,  Jamaica,  by  Pease  and  Butler. 
Of  the  three  species  of  Gleocapsa  enumerated  above,  the  following 
is  the  distribution  recorded  in  the  "  Minnesota  Algae  " : 
G.  aeruginosa,  Greenland,  New  York,  West  Indies  (Porto  Rico). 
G.  gelatinosa,  United  States,  West  Indies. 
G.  quarternata,  West  Indies,  Hawaii. 
The  note  with  reference  to  G.  aeruginosa  in  "  Minnesota  Algae  " 
is  apropos :  "  West  Indies.  Forming  a  dark  green  layer  on  stone  in 
cave.  '  El  Convento,'  near  Penuelas,  Porto  Rico  (Sintenis)."  Gleo- 
capsa quarternata  is  described  as  forming  a  gray-green,  mucilaginous 
coating  on  wet  cliffs  in  Hawaii.  The  distribution  of  Glotheca  linearis 
is  given  in  "  Minnesota  Algae,"  as :  "  West  Indies.  On  damp  walls 
of  dam,  Sharp's  River,  St.  Vincent  (Elliott)." 
That  these  algae  are  active  in  the  formation  of  the  stalactites  is 
indicated  by  their  close  attachment  to  the  surface  of  the  stalactites 
in  the  Devil's  Hole,  Bermuda.  They  remove  in  the  case  of  the  car- 
bonated waters,  containing  calcium  bicarbonate  (CaHCOs)2  in  solu- 
tion, the  gaseous  carbon  dioxide,  which  is  used  by  the  blue-green 
algae  in  photosynthesis  of  organic  compounds,  so  that  the  stalactites 
are  formed  by  the  continual  deposit  of  calcium  carbonate  (CaC03). 
Josephine  Tilden  has  studied  the  formation  of  algal  stalactites  in  the 
Yellowstone  National  Park,,  where  such  algae  as  Gleocapsa  viblacea, 
Phormidium  {Leptothrix)  laminosum,  Schisotkrix  calcicola,  and 
Synecococcus  ceruginosus  are  active.  Associated  with  the  older  part 
of  the  Bermuda  stalactites,  I  found  a  small  gasteropod  mollusc 
(Kaliella  turbinata  Gulick),  hid  away  in  small  holes,  or  irregularities 
of  their  surface.  In  conclusion,  we  find,  by  the  study  of  the  material 
from  Bermuda,  that  other  algae  are  concerned  in  the  formation  of 
stalactites  besides  those  described  from  Yellowstone  Park,  and  if  a 
comparative  study  were  made  of  stalactitic  material  from  all  parts 
of  the  world,  the  writer  has  no  doubt  that  the  list  of  algae  concerned 
would  be  a  respectable  one. 
Inexperienced  Growers  of  Drug  Plants  Not  Likely 
to  Succeed. 
The  cessation  of  the  harvesting  and  shipping  of  many  crude  drugs 
because  of  hostilities  in  Europe  has  caused  a  sharp  advance  in  their 
market  price.   As  a  result,  many  individuals  and  firms  have  written 
