Charles S. Boyer

“ At certain times, when the river is low, the influx of tide water is sufficient to produce an abundance of brackish water diatoms at Greenwich Point. The entire absence, however, at present, of many of the marine forms obtained in dredgings in the Delaware opposite the city, as at Smith's Island, now removed, and in certain well borings at Pavonia, Pensauken, Gloucester and other places in New Jersey, where the depth reached the old blue clay, indicates conditions quite different from those now prevalent. In the Bay itself comparatively few living species are found, at least in any abundance. ”

“ The Surirelloideæ are usually understood to include the genera Surirella, Podocystis, Cymatopleura and Campylodiscus, all of which resemble each other more or less, either in having a keel or markings like the divisions of the keel in Surirella and a median line, or pseudoraphe. The genus Nitzschia also has a keel, but it does not border each side of the valve as in Surirella, being found either near one margin or between it and the centre. ”

“ In the case of partly siliceous species, washing in pure water repeatedly is all that can be done. The larger and heavier diatoms may be separated from the sand by elutriation or by whirling in a casserole, by rocking in a shallow dish the shape of a watch crystal, or by pouring slowly over a strip of plate-glass at least two feet in length inclined at an angle of thirty degrees. ”

“ In Diatoma and Fragilaria, we find a punctum or pore at one end of a valve, but not in line with the pseudoraphe; in Synedra, a minute pore is usually found in the position of the terminal nodule and, in some species, indications of a central nodule are observed; the median line is wider but there is no raphe. In the fresh-water Synedræ, many of which are among the longest of diatoms, living in running streams, the terminal nodules are much more indistinct, while the marine forms have distinct terminal nodules, are not, as a rule, found in bands, and assume a more naviculoid outline. ”

“ The usual method is the union of two frustules, which, throwing off the old valves, coalesce into a single mass of protoplasm which produces an auxospore, sometimes called a sporangial frustule. It is stated that in some cases two frustules coalesce and produce two auxospores.
The existence of spores in diatoms is a much-disputed point. While they have never been seen, the inference that they exist is very great, as otherwise it becomes difficult to understand the sudden growth of species in localities and under conditions that seem to preclude the actual presence of the living frustule. ”

“ An examination of the synonymy of the species of Fragilaria will convince the student of the difficulty of determining the correct name even in well-known forms. If all of the species of Fragilaria proper have granular chromatophores, and all of Staurosira are placcochromatic, a satisfactory division can be made, but so long as these facts are not known in all species, and as authors have repeatedly confused the two divisions, the nomenclature will be uncertain. ”

“ In one of the earliest classifications of diatoms, the individual cell received less consideration than the nature of the filament or thallus in which many species occur in the first stages of their growth. Those, however, which exist in colonies at first are, sooner or later, broken up into separate frustules, either before or at the time of their maturity or previous to conjugation, while very many species are never seen except in a free state. ”

“ Many species possess the power of motion, which, however, is evident only in the free frustule. In N. paxillifer, the movement of the frustules occurs without the loss of continuity or adherence to each other, so that, while at one time the adnate frustules form a narrow filament, like that of Fragilaria, at another time they move laterally to their extreme length and form a thread of frustules adherent at their ends, later resuming their original position. ”

“ The two valves of the other mother cell are not shown as they are not usually found closely united. In the figure one valve alone of the auxospore is seen, the opposite valve not being in focus. The valves of the auxospore are usually more or less arcuate, as in Cymbella, to which the genus is closely allied.
Grunow divides Gomphonema into two groups, Asymmetricæ and Symmetricæ, according to the presence or absence of stigmas. Cleve suggests Stigmaticæ and Astigmaticæ as more suitable in order to agree with the Cymbellæ. The Stigmaticæ are found chiefly in fresh water, sometimes in brackish. ”

“ Frustules oblong. Valve lanceolate, constricted in the middle (in our species) ; an outer layer finely punctate and an inner layer of reticulations; the margin of the valve divided into large, quadrate cells.
The genus Dictyoneis includes species at one time ascribed to Mastogloia and Navicula. The structure, however, is not like that of either, as the loculi are attached to the valve and are not separable as in Mastogloia, and the cell-wall is not like that of any Navicula. ”

“ With a small forceps it is possible to detach minute quantities of a pure gathering which may not need further preparation beyond burning to a red heat on the cover-glass before mounting. A malacca cane, with extending rod to which may be screwed a bottle, net, spoon or hook, is useful on a long trip. If it is impossible to separate the thin film of diatoms from the mud in the bed of streams, dip up the surface mud with one bottle, allow to settle a few minutes, then pour off the supernatant liquid, which will be comparatively free from sand, into another bottle. ”

“ It is customary, especially among writers who are familiar with other classes of plants, to decry any classification of diatoms according to the markings of their siliceous envelopes. As, however, one of the chief distinctions of the class is the possession of a more or less siliceous and indestructible frustule, and as the cell and its contents are never seen except within the valves, their variety forms the only available method of identification. ”

“ Valve arcuate, without costæ, transversely striated; pseudoraphe absent; pseudo-nodules at each end.
Chromatophores laminate along the concave zone and the valves.
Very many species of Eunotia have been created to differentiate size and number of crenæ or undulations. An examination of certain fossil deposits of New England, as well as a gathering from the blue clay of Philadelphia, will show forms which vary infinitely. E. major and E. gracilis are scarcely distinguishable because of the intermediate variations. The striæ in all forms are punctate, but the puncta are frequently confluent. ”

“ The chief objection to the theory of cyclosis appears to be that the resultant motion is so greatly in excess of the rotation of protoplasm in the cell. More or less motion is observed in various kinds of free cells, but the movement of diatoms is not evident in those without either a raphe or a keel upon which and apparently by which the phenomena are produced. ”

“ The Pyrenoids.—In the chromatophores of many species are found colorless, homogeneous bodies, strongly refractive, of various shapes, usually lenticular or fusiform, which are known as Pyrenoids (Schmitz) . They are scarcely evident in the living cell, but are distinguished by the action of hæmatoxylin and other reagents. Flat forms occur in Surirella and Pleurosigma, lens forms in Pinnularia, Stauroneis, Synedra, Fragilaria and Nitzschia, while a spherical form is found in Cymbella cuspidata. The pyrenoids are always imbedded in the chromatophore. Their growth is by division. ”

“ As Cleve states, Cymbella and Amphora are forms of Navicula "with both valves similar and asymmetrical along the longitudinal axis," and the difference between Cymbella and Amphora is in the "degree of asymmetry." If, following H. L. Smith's diagrams (Lens, Vol. 2, 1873, p. 66) , we assume that the usual form of the valve in Navicula is elliptical or lanceolate, and the zone view is rectangular, we have in Cymbella an arcuate median line and a more or less reniform valve, while the zone view remains rectangular with the valves parallel. ”

“ The opacity of the water produces the same result as the absence of light in the deep lakes of New England, where diatoms are found only on the stalks or roots of water-plants near the shore, while in shallow ponds, such as the small lake near the summit of Mt. Lafayette, the growth is abundant. Certain species will grow wherever there are moisture, light and heat, but the greater number require the presence, in small amounts, of substances produced by the decay of animal and vegetable life. ”

“ By repeating the decantation, shaking and whirling, the deposit will be found to consist almost entirely of diatoms. It may be necessary to repeat the boiling in the acid and bichromate. If, however, any detritus other than sand is noted, boil in sulphuric acid and add from time to time minute pinches of powdered chlorate of potash, being careful to protect the eyes by holding a piece of glass before them; otherwise the explosions which occur are likely to throw some of the boiling acid into the eyes and destroy the sight. ”

“ This species can scarcely be referred to Dillwyn's Conferva pectinalis, as, in his description, quoting Mueller, he says that "the filaments are of a dirty green color; seldom exceeding half an inch in length." Dillwyn's form is probably Fragilaria virescens, which equals Fragilaria pectinalis Ehr., while Kuetzing's species is Fragilaria pectinalis Ralfs. It is not impossible to confuse Fragilaria virescens and Eunotia pectinalis when the zone only is seen under a low power and their mode of growth is similar. ”

“ COCCONEIS SCUTELLUM VAR. ORNATA GRUN.
Upper valve with linear axial area, and transverse and radiating punctate lines which end at the border in a double row of finer puncta; lower valve with much finer puncta, a lanceolate axial area and a loculiferous rim.
Atlantic City. Common.
Pl. 16, Figs. 27 and 28.
The forms along the coast vary infinitely both in size and appearance. The var. ornata is very abundant along the entire coast. In any gathering, valves are found with or without the rim which is frequently seen detached. The upper valve is sometimes without the double row of puncta. ”

“ Now carefully lower the body-tube of the instrument until the diatom rests upon the gelatine, breathe gently upon it, remove the cover from the slide, invert it over another slide containing a drop of styrax and proceed by heating to mount as before. The size of the diatom, the amount of gelatine, and several other factors, will enter into the question of success or failure. I have, however, employed the above method and have mounted thousands of slides of selected diatoms successfully. It is necessary to avoid any air current which will cause the diatom to fall from the thread. ”

“ Frustules adnate in small stipitate clusters or free. Valve elongate, linear or linear-lanceolate; pseudoraphe distinct; costæ absent.
The genus Synedra has few distinctive characters. As Brun remarks (Diat. des Alpes et du Jura, p. 122) , the dilatation of the extremities and the pseudo-nodule are of little value in classification, as the intermediate forms are so numerous. Fragilaria occurs in very long ribbons or fasciæ, Synedra in short fasciæ or radiating clusters. Fragilaria is seldom longer than three or four times the width, while Synedra is nearly always so. ”