92 Dr. Goodenough and Mr. Wood w a r d'j Obfervations on 



the confequence of the internal laceiation of the fubftance, as the 

 part becomes dilated into the veficle, which is, generally fpeaking, 

 the mere organ of buoyancy, very rarely of fructification. We 

 have feen thefe threads of different forms, fize and texture, in pro- 

 portion to the enlargement of the veficle. If analogy muft be re- 

 forted to, thefe threads ought rather to be eonfidered as neSiaria than 

 any thing elfe belonging to the fructification : but, in fact, the whole 

 idea is fo vague and inconclufive, that nothing but the name of 

 the illuftrious author could have fupported it for a moment; and 

 even were it confirmed, there are very few fpecies which could be 

 made at all to agree with the description. 



We fhould object to the character ofU/va for two reafons— Firft, 

 lie fays fruSfificationes, without naming what fort ; and then, becaufe 

 he adds, in membrand diaphana\ according to which, all the Fuci of 

 the div'ihonfrcnde plana avenid muft be denominated Ulvce. 



We muft object to Conferva, becaufe, from his term tuber cula in&- 

 qualia infronde capillar], all the Fuci with capillary branches mult be 

 included, particularly F. purpurafcens, to name no more. Add to 

 this, that on the Conferva; of the firft and fecond divifion, as well as 

 on feveral of the geniculated ones, no tubercles have ever yet been 

 obferved. They confequently do not at all agree with the character ; 

 nor are the fimple- threaded Conferva in any way diftinguifhed from 

 the filamentofe ByJJi, except by the totally inadmiflible defcription, 

 fibrh longijjimis. 



The genus ^remella we {hall pafs by, as not connected with our 

 prefent plan. Linnaeus, forming the effential characters partly 

 from external habit, and partly from fructification, eonfidered thofe 

 Jllgcz which were gelatinous as Tremellce, and thofe which were 

 membranaceous as Ulva. But as the effential characters which we 

 ihall propofe are taken from the fructification folely, fuch gelati- 



7 nous 



