m
pila, E. Bot. t. 1377.; Dilhv. Conf. t. 8 7 .; Ilarv. 1. c.
p. 357.; also in Manual, p. 134.
Hab. C. glomerata, common in streams and wells. — C.
cegagropila. In lakes, rare. North Wales: Rev. M.
Davies. North of Scotland: Air. Brodie. PrestAvick
C a r : Mr. Winch. Culmere Pool and Whitemore,
Shropshire : Rev. E . Williams. Cunnemara: Air. Mac-
hay. — C. Broionii. On Avet rocks, in a cave near Dunree,
North of Ireland : R . Brown, Esq. On shady rocks at
the entrance of a small cave beyond Black Castle,
WickloAV, Avhere it is exposed to the dripping of fresh
Avater, and occasional ovcrfloAv of the sea: W. H. Harvey.
CornAvall coast, near the Land’s E n d : Mr. Ralfs.
This beautiful and abundant Conferva delights in pure and
ru n n in g Avaters, a tta ch in g itse lf to stones, walls, and piles in
streams, rivers, and cascades, it being draAvn ou t by the cu rre
n t often to m ore th an tAvo feet in length. In the mass, it is of
a deep and refreshing green colour, which is occasioned by the
p u rity o f th e Avater in Avhich it lives. Examined separately,
th e filaments present a peculiar glistening appearance, rare
amongst freshAvater Algæ, though common to many marine
species. N o t infrequently, th e branches are beset Avith tu fts
of ramuli, which, when the p lan t is floated out In water, give
it somewhat th e appearance of a Sertularia, and increase
g re a tly its beauty. I t is in this species th a t I have seen th e
apertures situated on one side of th e dista l ex trem ity of
th e cells designed for th e escape of th e zoospores. N o tw ith standing
th a t its usual reso rt is th e stream and the waterfall,
i t Avill flourish and increase in size amazingly for weeks and
months in a vessel, th e Avater o f Avhich is occasionally re-
ncAved. I have th u s k e p t it for many Aveeks, removing, when
by its growth it had filled th e vessel, all b u t a small portion
of it ; this, hoAvever, speedily increased, and again filled its
dwelling-place. The te a rin g away of portions o f th e p lan t
in no Avay impaired th e v ita lity o f th e remainder, as from its
aggregation of min u te cells, each th e analogue of th e other,
might a priori have been conjectured.
i.
After the species has been thus confined for some time, if
it be examined with a glass, very many of the filaments
Avill be found to he invested with numerous smaller filaments.
These are the young of the plant derived from the
groAvth of the zoospores, which have attached themselves to
the parent filaments. I t Avas the occurrence of a specimen
thus infected tha t induced Vaucher to place this species in
his genus Prolifera.
This species is the favourite resort of Diatoma volgare,
which attaches itself to it by means of a distinct root-like
organ. The Diatoma frequently developes itself over the
filaments to such an extent as totally to obscure their rich
green colour. A brown no less rich is imparted to it by the
parasite.
The two following plants, old and established as the one of
them at least would appear to be, I regard as conditions of
Cladophora glomerata — viz. C. oegagropila and C. Browmi.
The microscope does not present any essential différence In
the structure of these supposed, though I believe erroneous,
species. The state of Cladophora glomerata (which has received
a distinct name even at the hands of the great Swede himself)
{C. oegagropila Linn.), I believe to be formed as follows : —
a specimen by the force of some mountain stream SAvollen by
recent rains becomes forced from its attachment ; as it is carried
along by the current, it is made to revolve repeatedly
upon itself, until at last a compact ball is formed of it, which
finally becomes deposited in some basin or reservoir in which
the stream loses itself, and in Avhich these balls are usually
found.
The size of these balls varies from two to four inches ; they
are dense, firm, and spongy. Kützing has carried his idea
of this species to such an extent as to constitute for its reception
a new genus, taking for the generic name the old
specific appellation of oegagropila, and bestowing upon it the
specific name of its renowned discoverer Linnæus— Æga-
gropila Linnæi. The term oegagropila is derived from its
resemblance to the balls tha t are found in the stomachs of
goats* The peculiarities of the second condition of C. glop
4