PREFACE TO THE FIRST FASCICULUS. 



1HE prefent very imperfect ftate of our knowledge of Confervse, will, I hope, 

 be accepted as fufficient apology for not prefacing my firft Fafciculus with any 

 general remarks on that genus. Convinced of this deficiency, I offer the prefent 

 work as little more than a fet of drawings, whereby the fpecies of this intricate tribe 

 may be, in fome meafure, fixed ; and which may at leaft ferve as materials for the 

 future labours of fome more able Botanifts. I fhall add to each plate the de- 

 scription of the plant it is intended to reprefenr, pointing out at the fame time 

 whatever has ftruck me as mod remarkable in its conformation or phyfiology. — 

 The greater part of the more minute fpecies refemble each other fo much in 

 their natural ftate, that the microfcope alone can enable us to diftinguifh them, 

 and therefore I have given only magnified (ketches; except of thofe, in which the 

 ftructure or ramification is fufficiently lingular to point them out, at firft fight, 

 to the naked eye. 



If the botanical world fhould approve of this undertaking, my plan is to publifh 

 a fimilar Fafciculus every four months, by which means there will be fufficient 

 time to examine accurately the plants I introduce. It is impoflible yet to offer 



