Part 13

The type form occurs in brackish and salt water. The occurrence of the variety in fresh water is another instance of the finding of presumably brackish forms in the water supply of the city. If these cases prove to be unusual, it may be because of one of two reasons. The Schuylkill River, before the building of the dam at Fairmount, was tidal as far as the Falls of Schuylkill, and brackish influences, while not now existent, may have caused the growth of forms which now survive. Another reason may be that the opening of the locks at Fairmount Dam may cause a slight admission of brackish forms from tidal water below. The abundance of the brackish species appears to indicate that the first reason is the more plausible.

NITZSCHIA REVERSA WM. SM.

Valve lanceolate extended into beaks or horns curving in opposite directions; keel puncta not evident; striæ, "20-26" in 10 µ. L. 70 µ.

Brackish water. Abundant in Duck Creek, Delaware River.

Pl. 33, Fig. 11.

NITZSCHIA ACICULARIS (KUETZ.) WM. SM.

Valve lanceolate, with beaks or horns about half the length of the median part of the valve; keel puncta, 18 in 10 µ; striæ exceedingly delicate, "about 40 in 10 µ." L. 45 µ.

Fresh water. Darby Creek.

Pl. 33, Fig. 12.

HOMOEOCLADIA AG. (1827)

(homoios, like, and clados, a branch)

Frustules like Nitzschia, but enclosed in branching or simple tubes.

HOMOEOCLADIA FILIFORMIS WM. SM.

Frustule linear, tumid in the middle, obtuse at the ends; valve linear-lanceolate, with somewhat acute apices; keel central or nearly so; keel puncta, 8 in 10 µ; striæ delicate. L. 108 µ.

Fresh and brackish water. Newark, N. J.

Pl. 33, Fig. 15.

{124}SURIRELLA TURPIN (1828)

(named after Dr. Suriray, a physician of Havre)

Valve linear, elliptical or ovate; pseudoraphe linear or lanceolate; a marginal keel forming wings or alæ seen in zone view; costæ short or reaching the pseudoraphe, frequently with intercostal striæ more or less evident.

The genus is divided by Grunow according to the length and form of the costæ. I include Stenopterobia.

Section 1.--Costæ of nearly equal width throughout, reaching the pseudoraphe.

Section 2.--Costæ short or marginal.

Section 3.--Costæ dilated at the margin, attenuated toward the pseudoraphe.

Section 4.--Valve having the appearance of Nitzschia, with inconspicuous alæ (Stenopterobia).

The endochrome consists of two laminate chromatophores, one on each valve.

The auxospores are single, originating from the union of two frustules (H. L. Smith).

SECTION 1

SURIRELLA BISERIATA (EHR.) BRÉB.

Valve lanceolate, subacute at the ends; costæ robust, about 2 in 10 µ, parallel in the middle, radiate at the ends; pseudoraphe narrow. L. 100 µ.

_Surirella bifrons_ Ehr.

Fresh water.

Pl. 39, Fig. 12; Pl. 35, Fig. 2 (smaller form).

SURIRELLA LINEARIS WM. SM.

Valve linear, with cuneate ends, slightly constricted in the middle; costæ parallel, 2-3 in 10 µ. L. 90 µ.

Fresh water.

Pl. 35, Fig. 8.

SURIRELLA AMPHIOXYS WM. SM.

Valve oblong-linear, with cuneate ends; pseudoraphe narrow; costæ, 3-4 in 10 µ; striæ, 14-16 in 10 µ, somewhat radiate. L. 34-54 µ.

_Surirella moelleriana_ Grun.

Fresh and brackish water. Common along the coast.

Pl. 35, Figs. 12 and 13.

SURIRELLA ROBUSTA EHR.

Valve linear-ovate; pseudoraphe wide; alæ prominent; costæ wide, 1¼ in 10 µ. Frustule in zone view clavate. L. 200-365 µ.

Fresh water.

Pl. 36, Fig. 2.

{125}SURIRELLA SPLENDIDA (EHR.) KUETZ.

Valve ovate; costæ, 1½ to 2 in 10 µ; pseudoraphe linear, narrow. L. 125-200 µ.

Fresh water.

Pl. 35, Fig. 3.

S. splendida is smaller than S. robusta and wider in proportion, but, as intermediate forms occur, it is difficult to distinguish between them.

SURIRELLA ELEGANS EHR.

Valve ovate, rounded at one end and acute at the other; pseudoraphe lanceolate, narrow; costæ, 1½ in 10 µ; striæ subtle, 22 in 10 µ. Frustule in zone view cuneate. L. 180-220 µ.

Fresh water.

Pl. 36, Fig. 1.

SURIRELLA STRIATULA TURPIN

Valve broad, obovate or elliptical, rounded at each end; costæ, 1¼ in 10 µ, curved at the ends; striæ, 14 in 10 µ. Frustule in zone view cuneate; marginal alæ quite robust. L. 100-160 µ.

Blue clay. Brackish water.

Pl. 34, Fig. 1.

In the specimen figured, the outline is exactly elliptical, although the species is usually conical at one end.

SURIRELLA GEMMA EHR.

Valve ovate or ovate-elliptical, rounded at each end, sometimes asymmetrical along the longitudinal axis; pseudoraphe very narrow; costæ distant, at irregular intervals, about 2 in 10 µ, somewhat radiate, reaching the pseudoraphe; striæ, 20 in 10 µ, punctate. Frustule in zone view cuneate. L. 70-120 µ.

Along the coast.

Pl. 36, Fig. 4.

SURIRELLA TENERA GREG.

Valve ovate; pseudoraphe narrow, well-defined; costæ indistinct, 2½ in 10 µ, their margins invisible; striæ about 14 in 10 µ, punctate, more evident near the margin. L. 90 µ.

_Surirella diaphana_ Bleisch.

Pavonia, N. J., artesian well.

Pl. 35, Fig. 6.

The figure is that of the var. nervosa A. S. (Atlas, Pl. 23, Fig. 15), which differs from the type in having the position of the costæ indicated by scattered puncta.

{126}SECTION 2

SURIRELLA GUATIMALENSIS EHR.

Valve ovate; pseudoraphe very narrow and indistinct; costæ short, marginal, 2-2½ in 10 µ, absent from the rounded end. L. 120 µ.

_Surirella cardinalis_ Kitton.

Smith's Island, Delaware River.

Pl. 36, Fig. 5.

SURIRELLA OVALIS BRÉB.

Valve ovate; costæ short, marginal, radiate, 3-6 in 10 µ, often unequal; central area ovate, indistinctly costate; striæ scarcely visible, about 18 in 10 µ; pseudoraphe narrow. L. 45-93 µ.

_Surirella davidsonii_ A. S.

Fresh or brackish water.

Pl. 35, Fig. 5; Pl. 39, Fig. 11.

The smaller specimen is from the Delaware River, and the larger from the Hudson River.

SURIRELLA CRUMENA BRÉB.

Valve nearly orbicular; costæ short, marginal, radiate; pseudoraphe narrow, indistinct; central area indistinctly costate, sometimes interrupted.

On account of the extreme confusion in the names of many forms which appear to be variations of S. ovalis, I have followed Van Heurck in retaining the original names as specific. De Toni gives S. crumena as a variety of S. ovalis.

Fresh and brackish water. Quite common in the Delaware River.

Pl. 35, Fig. 4.

SURIRELLA PINNATA WM. SM.

Valve ovate or oblong-ovate; costæ reaching the linear pseudoraphe, about 6 in 10 µ. L. 40 µ.

_Surirella ovalis_ var. _pinnata_ (Wm. Sm.) De Toni.

S. pinnata is the type of a number of small forms usually found together, including S. panduriformis, S. angusta and S. minuta.

Fresh water. Media (Palmer).

Pl. 36, Fig. 7; Fig. 9 (abnormal).

Var. minuta, a small form of S. pinnata, occurs with the type.

SURIRELLA PANDURIFORMIS WM. SM.

Valve linear-oblong, with rounded ends, more or less constricted in the middle; otherwise as in S. pinnata. L. 54 µ.

Fresh water.

Pl. 36, Fig. 6.

{127}SURIRELLA ANGUSTA KUETZ.

Valve linear, with cuneate ends; otherwise as in S. pinnata.

Fresh water.

Pl. 36, Fig. 8.

S. pinnata, S. panduriformis, and S. angusta have a narrow central area, and differ from S. ovalis which has short costæ.

SURIRELLA OBLONGA EHR. ?

Valve elliptical-lanceolate, with obtuse ends; costæ, marginal, 2½ in 10 µ; median area granulate; pseudoraphe narrow, lanceolate, scarcely visible; striæ about 18 in 10 µ. L. 60 µ.

Blue clay. Rare.

Pl. 35, Fig. 9.

This has the outline and appearance of S. oblonga Ehr. (Mik. Pl. 15, Fig. 48), but the costæ are closer.

SURIRELLA RECEDENS A. S.

Valve ovate; costæ, 2-2½ in 10 µ; pseudoraphe narrow, not reaching the ends of the valve; intercostal spaces more evident near the middle. L. 50 µ.

Blue clay. Not uncommon.

Pl. 35, Fig. 7.

SURIRELLA CRUCIATA A. S.

Valve ovate; pseudoraphe very narrow; costæ, 2 in 10 µ; the outline of several of the median costæ strongly emphasized, while the other costæ are indistinct. L. 54 µ.

Blue clay.

Pl. 35, Fig. 10.

SURIRELLA GRACILIS GRUN.

Valve linear, with sub-cuneate ends, slightly constricted in the middle; pseudoraphe very narrow; costæ, 6-7 in 10 µ; transverse striæ about 26 in 10 µ, punctate. L. 75 µ.

According to De Toni (p. 598), this form is a Nitzschia. It has, however, a narrow pseudoraphe.

Pavonia, N. J., artesian well. Rare.

Pl. 35, Fig. 11.

SECTION 3

SURIRELLA FASTUOSA EHR.

Valve ovate; costæ about 1-2 in 10 µ, dilated at the margin and contracting at about one-fourth the distance toward the middle; area, ovate-lanceolate; pseudoraphe, narrow and indistinct; intercostate striæ more evident near the margin, 19 in 10 µ, becoming again evident in a narrow band about one-half the distance to the pseudoraphe. L. 50-120 µ.

Along the coast. More common southward.

Pl. 35, Fig. 1.

{128}SURIRELLA FEBIGERII LEWIS

Valve ovate-lanceolate; costæ about 2½ in 10 µ with punctate interspaces extending half the distance toward the median hyaline area, which is divided longitudinally on each side of the narrow pseudoraphe by two longitudinal bands composed of short, transverse, irregular, punctate lines.

Along the coast.

Pl. 36, Fig. 3.

SECTION 4 (STENOPTEROBIA)

SURIRELLA ANCEPS LEWIS

Frustule linear, straight or nearly so; valve sigmoid with rounded apices; costæ marginal, nearly obsolete; striæ distinct, about 15 in 10 µ; pseudoraphe wide. L. to 320 µ.

Hammonton Pond and Tom's River, N. J.

Pl. 34, Fig. 2.

SURIRELLA INTERMEDIA LEWIS

Frustule linear, straight, widened at the truncate ends; valve linear, sigmoid, tapering to the sub-acute ends; costæ about 5 in 10 µ; striæ about 20 in 10 µ. L. variable.

Hammonton Pond, N. J.

Pl. 34, Fig. 3; Pl. 39, Fig. 9 (zone view).

This, perhaps, is forma sub-acuta Fricke.

Fig. 7, Pl. 34, is probably a small form of S. intermedia, from Willistown, Pa. It resembles a Nitzschia.

SURIRELLA DELICATISSIMA LEWIS

Frustule linear, rounded at the ends; valve linear-lanceolate, sometimes very slightly constricted in the middle, with acute apices; costæ, 5 in 10 µ; striæ about 20 in 10 µ; pseudoraphe well defined, lanceolate. L. to 90 µ.

Fresh water. Newtown Square.

Pl. 34, Figs. 5 and 6 (small forms).

SURIRELLA ARCTISSIMA A. S.

Valve linear, tapering to the sub-acute ends; costæ marginal, 5 in 10 µ; striæ, 18 in 10 µ; pseudoraphe not evident. L. 184 µ.

May's Landing, N. J.

Pl. 34, Fig. 4.

Fig. 10, Pl. 39, is a small form from Newtown Square, Pa., in which the length is 86 µ, the costæ 5 and the striæ 16 in 10 µ.

PODOCYSTIS KUETZ. (1844)

(pous, a foot, and cystis, a bag)

Frustules cuneate, similar to Surirella, but attached by short stipes to other algæ; valve obovate.

{129}PODOCYSTIS ADRIATICA KUETZ.

Valve nearly symmetrical, obovate, with transverse costæ about 4 in 10 µ, alternating with double rows of coarse puncta; median line distinct, linear. L. 43 µ.

_Podocystis americana_ Bail.

Hell Gate, N. Y.

Pl. 40, Fig. 6.

CYMATOPLEURA WM. SM. (1851)

(cuma, a wave, and pleura, a side)

Valve elliptical; surface transversely undulate, with short, marginal costæ. Frustule in zone view linear, with undulated sides.

Auxospore formation as in Surirella.

CYMATOPLEURA SOLEA (BRÉB.) WM. SM.

Valve oblong, with cuneate apices, constricted in the middle; costæ about 6 in 10 µ; striæ, 10 in 10 µ; pseudoraphe scarcely visible. L. 50-300 µ.

Blue clay. Common in the Hudson River.

Pl. 34, Figs. 8 and 9.

CYMATOPLEURA ELLIPTICA (BRÉB.) WM. SM.

Valve elliptical; marginal costæ short, 3 in 10 µ; striæ delicate, 18 in 10 µ; undulations four or more. L. 70-140 µ.

Blue clay.

Pl. 37, Fig. 1.

_Forma spiralis._--Valve ovate, swelled into curved ridges at the lower end, with a contraction of the valve.

Port Penn, Delaware River.

Pl. 37, Fig. 2.

CYMATOPLEURA MARINA LEWIS

Frustule linear, with numerous undulations, ends apiculate; valve linear-lanceolate, with acute ends; striæ transverse, punctate at unequal intervals, from 16-18 in 10 µ. L. 43 µ.

East River, N. Y.

Pl. 37, Figs. 3 and 4.

Lewis states that the ends are more or less truncate. I do not find them so.

CAMPYLODISCUS EHR. (1841)

(campulos, curved like a saddle)

Valve orbicular or sub-orbicular, with costæ or punctate rays converging from the circumference toward the hyaline centre, which sometimes appears like a pseudoraphe. Frustule of two saddle-shaped valves at right angles to each other. The zone view may be of almost any shape according to position.

Endochrome consists of two bands, each lining the inner surface of each valve. Auxospore and conjugation unknown.

{130}CAMPYLODISCUS ECHENEIS EHR.

Valve sub-orbicular, saddle-shaped; costæ indistinct, short, marginal; rows of round or elongated puncta converge toward the lanceolate, hyaline median space. Diam. 80-140 µ.

_Campylodiscus argus_ Bail.

Blue clay. Reservoir at Thompson and Twenty-sixth Sts., Phila.

Pl. 37, Fig. 6.

This form, usually considered as brackish and marine, is occasionally found in fresh water. According to Deby, it is fossil in the "Champlain deposit of N. A."

CAMPYLODISCUS HIBERNICUS EHR.

Valve irregularly orbicular; costæ, 40-60, about 2 in 10 µ, wide at the margin and attenuated toward the centre which is somewhat quadrate; the radials rough with minute apiculi.

Pensauken, N. J., artesian well.

Pl. 37, Fig. 5.

{131}APPENDIX

COLLECTION AND PREPARATION OF DIATOMS

It is assumed that every student of the Diatomaceæ has a general knowledge of the collection, preparation, mounting and examination of material. For the novice, however, the following methods, used by the author for many years, may be of service.

_Collection of Fresh-water Material._--The yellow film on the inside of aquaria always contains small species. Stems of water-plants near the shores of ponds and the submerged roots, the brownish coating of rocks in streams and water-falls, fountains, and water-troughs, are prolific. At all times of the year, some diatoms may be found in a thin layer upon the mud of rivers or creeks. In the spring, brown patches of mud, filled with bubbles, floating near the shore in ponds, or coming down with the current in rivers, are rich in various forms. Within the limits assigned to our district, I have made collections in the following localities: Schuylkill River, including the region near Fairmount Dam, several reservoirs and the water-supply; the Wissahickon and Fairmount Park, Darby, Crum and Ridley Creeks, the Neshaminy and the Brandywine; meadow pools and rivulets near the city; the upper Delaware, the Water Gap and numerous cascades northward; the Shawangunk Mountains and the Poconos; many parts of New Jersey along the coast; the Pine Barren region, the Hammonton, Atsion and Kirkwood Ponds and the swamps near Atco.

In the collection of fresh-water material, it is well to be provided with a number of small bottles. Take a handful of the water-plants or algæ, and squeeze the material into the bottles, or, lacking a bottle, wrap it in paper. 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 must be confessed, however, that the mud in streams near Philadelphia contains a large quantity of fine mica which, in some instances, it is impossible to remove.

_Collection of Marine Material._--Shell scrapings, the stomachs of fish, marine algæ, especially the brown and red algæ, the hulls of vessels, mud from anchors and dredgings, are all sources which may prove valuable. In the sand ripples, after the tide recedes, a yellowish-brown deposit will be noticed. This should be taken up carefully with a spoon and placed in a bottle; the sand will settle at once and a very pure gathering will be held in suspension in the water. Such collections may be made along the entire coast of New Jersey on sunny days in summer. In salt meadows near Absecon and Hackensack, large quantities of diatoms, including Pleurosigma, may be obtained in the yellow scum floating on the surface.

_The Blue Clay Deposit._--The blue clay occurs as a pre- or post-glacial deposit in the bed of the ancient Delaware River, and, at depths varying usually from fifteen to forty feet below the surface, has been obtained from artesian wells at Pavonia, Pensauken and Gloucester, N. J., also at Port Penn on the Delaware, and especially from the dredgings {132}made by the removal of Smith's Island opposite the city. In the city proper, it may be stated briefly that material may be found in a stratum of very light blue clay at a depth varying from twenty to sixty feet in many places south of Arch St. east of Broad St., and also along the beds of ancient rivulets near Tioga St., at Sixteenth St., and in certain other places which were probably subject to tidal overflow. One of the best collections was made along the bank of the Schuylkill at the east end of Walnut St. Bridge, at a depth of thirteen feet below the surface. Excavations for the Reading Terminal and the Subway and several buildings, as the Bingham House, have furnished numerous specimens.

_Cleaning the Material._--Some gatherings may be so pure as to be ready for mounting when treated with dilute alcohol and oil of cloves. If, when gathered, the diatoms are immersed in a saturated solution of picric acid for several days, they may be stained with carmine or methylene blue, or whatever may be required to emphasize the contents of the frustules, including the endochrome and the pyrenoids. After staining, pass as rapidly as expedient through the treatment with dilute alcohol and oil of cloves, and mount in benzol balsam, avoiding heat. A hot solution of mercuric bichloride is sometimes used for the preservation of the endochrome, although washing is needed before mounting. For the particular stain considered best for certain details of structure, it will be advisable to consult works on Micro-Chemistry or Heinzerling (_l. c._). The stains of most importance are carmine, methylene blue, hæmatoxylin, gold chloride and Bismarck brown.

Whatever method may be used in staining, the identification of forms is impossible, in most cases, unless the valves are carefully cleaned and the cell-contents destroyed. For this purpose provide a casserole holding from five to eight ounces, an iron tripod stand with alcohol lamp, several six-inch test-tubes, preferably those with a standard base, fitted with pure rubber corks. Take the material as free from twigs, dead leaves, sand, and other matter as possible, place it in the casserole, and add about the same quantity of nitric acid. Boil for twenty minutes and then add about half a teaspoonful of powdered bichromate of potash, stirring with a glass rod. Then take a beaker-glass partly filled with water and pour into it slowly the liquid which has been allowed to cool a short time, whirling the casserole to cause the concentration of sand in the centre. Allow the material to settle for half an hour or longer, according to the amount of diatoms and their size. Pour off the water, add more water, and place in a test-tube. Repeat the decantation, shaking the test-tube, closed with a rubber cork, vigorously each time. From time to time whirl the diatoms in the casserole and throw away the sand collected in the centre. 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. The material, when clean, should be white or, in the case of Synedra, yellowish. It is quite easy to construct a box fitted with the proper apparatus for boiling and provided with a glass door for observation, and a method of introducing the chlorate of potash through a small aperture or tube. The box may be placed in the garden or fastened outside of a window so that the poisonous fumes may be carried off.

An excellent method, in the case of larger forms, is to boil the material already cleaned by the acid in water to which a few shavings of coarse brown soap are added. The difference in density will hold in suspension any flocculent matter, and while many of the smaller {133}forms will not settle, the others will be perfectly cleaned. When satisfied with the cleaning, preserve the stock material in part alcohol and, in using, pour into a smaller bottle the amount required, replace the dilute alcohol with distilled water, and mount as directed. It often happens that gatherings are made consisting almost entirely of sand. Attempts at cleaning in the usual way will cause the loss of nearly all of the diatoms. In this case, after the material has been treated with acid until nothing remains but sand and a few diatoms, the mechanical finger must be used.

In the cleaning of marine deposits, various methods may be required. 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. The sand will cling to the glass, while the greater portion of the diatoms will run off. Where particles of shells or foraminifera are present, a preliminary boiling in hydrochloric acid is advisable. In all marine gatherings, the salt should first be washed out before proceeding with the cleaning.

For hardened masses of clay and for fossil deposits, it is necessary to boil in carbonate of soda and follow with the acid treatment. Citric acid and acetate of potash used alternately in boiling may be tried. Soaking for a time in acetate of potash and allowing the material to deliquesce for a week before further process, has proved successful in some instances. The repetition of several methods and the gentle breaking of the harder masses with the point of a needle will disintegrate almost any diatomaceous earth, but, as a last resort for refractory deposits, boil in pure water, add a piece of caustic potash about the size of a pea, continue the boiling not more than thirty seconds longer, and pour instantly into dilute hydrochloric acid; otherwise the diatoms will be destroyed. Afterwards proceed with the usual treatment.

_Slides and Covers._--Take half an ounce of No. 1 covers, circles, and place them in a wide-mouthed bottle. Add a portion of the following mixture (Dr. Carl Seiler's formula):

Bichromate of potash 2 oz. Sulphuric acid 3 fl. oz. Water 25 fl. oz.

Shake the bottle in order that the surfaces of the covers may be fully exposed to the action of the acid, and set aside for several hours. Decant the solution, add water repeatedly until all traces of the mixture are removed, and keep the circles in the bottle in fifty-per cent. alcohol. When needed, take out a circle with forceps and dry on a linen cloth.

The slides may be treated in the same way, or they may be easily prepared by immersion in a solution of washing soda, and then washed and dried. This process may be used in cleaning the balsam or styrax from old slides.