Dr. Goo de no ugh and Mr. Woodward'; QhfwaUsnsy eft. 8j 



their fubjects in all ages, and an Ariftotle's defcription of the Cham r- 

 leon will delineate this curious animal to the molt diftant period. 



Gmelin's general hiftory is clofed with chemical accounts, and 

 experiments made upon feveral of the Fuel. None of thefe mat- 

 ters need be retailed by us ; we only mention the fubjects treated 

 of, and poflibly may refer to ibme few of them as we proceed. Our 

 more immediate bufmefs is with his method of arrangement; for 

 perhaps it would add fomething to the knowledge of a fubject, were 

 each fucceeding fyftematift to give his reafons, why he accedes to 

 fyftems eftablifhed before him,. or why he leaves them. 



It is impoffible to follow Gmelin in his arrangement of eith erthc 

 genera of which he treats, or the orders under which he dalles 

 them. In the fir ft place, becaufe there is, as muft be confeifed, 

 great and almoft total ignorance of the fructification of fubmarine 

 plants, he difcards all idea of taking any generic character from that 

 interefting circumftance. We think however, and hope when we 

 treat upon that point that we fhall (hew, that there is iufheiently 

 apparent difference of character in the fructification to accomplish 

 all that we want, viz. generic characters for Fucus, If/va, and Con- 

 ferva. 



In confequence of rejecting all idea of fructification for his gene- 

 ric character, Gmelin has fallen into the greateft miftakes ; the 

 Linnaean genera, Fucus, Ulva, and 'Tremella are all denominated 

 Fuel ; and had he had time to have completed his defign, he would 

 have added to this group Byjfus and Conferva. 



He docs not appear to us- to be more happy in his difpofition of 

 the divifions of his genus. To conftitute thefe, he is perpetually 

 reforting to the fructification. In many inftances he does not at- 

 tempt any modification of character, but actually gives as it were 

 new generic characters to his divifions. In his divifion membranacei, he 



fays, 



