Plates in Hooker's Icones Plantarum. 385 



to the bottom, a few yards distant from the water's edge. 

 The water was very clear, and I could see him distinctly. He 

 lay with his head slightly elevated, and his body partially con- 

 cealed by a stone, earnestly watching my movements. I tried 

 to reach him with a stick, but he was too far off; I therefore 

 determined to cease annoying him in this manner, and to see 

 what he would do. I watched him, still keeping his unaltered 

 attitude, for more than five minutes, probably nearer ten (I 

 had not a watch with me) ; at last, with a stealthy cautious 

 movement, I saw him turn, and, rising to the surface with his 

 head scarcely above it (not elevated as I have seen), slily make 

 his way towards a thick bed of water-weeds (flags, &c), at 

 some distance from where I stood. In these I lost all trace of 

 him. At that time I had never dissected a snake ; and when, 

 for the first time, I examined the lungs of one of this tribe, 

 and contemplated the extensive membranous sac in which 

 they terminate, I felt assured that I had the clue to the 

 animal's power of enduring suspended respiration for a length 

 of time, which, in the instance of the snake I watched in the 

 water, greatly surprised me ; an instance that has often been 

 the subject of my consideration. Perhaps some of the readers 

 of this Magazine may have seen similar instances : to them I 

 submit my theory, that, if erroneous, it may be corrected, 

 observing that it is, at all events, a point well worthy of in- 

 vestigation. — Wm. Martin. Hammersmith, May 25. 1837. 



Note from Sir TV. J. Hooker, respecting the Plates in his 

 " Icones Plantarum." — I should be extremely happy to meet 

 the wishes of your correspondent C, in the last Number of 

 your Journal, respecting the partial colouring of the plates of 

 the Icones Plantarum, if it were practicable : but that gentle- 

 man is not, perhaps, aware of the heavy cost that such an 

 alteration would incur; such an additional outlay, indeed, as, 

 I am confident, from my own experience in these matters, 

 the very limited sale of the work would not warrant. In the 

 first place, the execution of the plates would take double the 

 time, because the shading of the foliage, &c, now omitted, 

 would require to be inserted : the paper, to bear colouring, 

 must be of a superior quality, and, consequently, of a higher 

 price : add to these the cost of the colouring, and the greater 

 value of the dead stock, or, in other words, of the numerous 

 copies lying for years, or perhaps for ever, on hand, unless 

 the author is disposed to sell them as waste paper ; and your 

 correspondent will, I think, agree with me in the assurance 

 that the colouring would increase the expense very materially. 



* See Vol. I. p. 279. n. s. 

 Vol. I, — No. 7. n. s. ff 



