Bibliographical Notices, 215 



&c, is a highly interesting inquiry, which has not yet met with the 

 attention it deserves. It would be a pleasure to us to comment on 

 many parts of Mr. Harvey's Introduction, but we must spare our 

 readers, and refer them to what will be found much more to their 

 taste — the book itself. Here they will find the subject amply dis- 

 cussed under the different heads — definition of Algae ; their colour 

 and its characteristics ; structure ; propagation ; geographical distri- 

 bution ; uses ; the species resorted to for human food, for medicine, 

 the fine arts, &c. 



We have evidence of the care bestowed by the author upon the 

 work, in now for the first time separating plants hitherto overlooked 

 as identical, and again, bringing others together which had no claim 

 to rank as distinct species. In both respects we are much gratified 

 to find our own views very generally confirmed. We will look to 

 some of these points. The second species of Myriotrichia we are 

 pleased to see, having been long under the impression, (but without 

 critical examination,) that the form now described as M . filiformis was 

 distinct from M. clavaformis. Nitophyllum punctatum and N. ocel- 

 latum are judiciously brought together — in the same specimen we 

 occasionally find both united. Rhodomenia ciliata and R. jubata run 

 so into each other, that we are not satisfied of the propriety of keep- 

 ing them distinct. The different seasons at which they are said to 

 bear capsules — the former in winter, the latter in summer — seems a 

 good reason for so considering them ; but this is not a constant cha- 

 racter, as we have found typical examples of R. ciliata, with fronds 

 three-fourths of an inch in breadth, producing fruit plentifully 

 throughout the month of August. These were procured on the 

 southern coast of the Isle of Wight, where the species grows in re- 

 markable luxuriance. Rhodomenia sobolifera we can hardly consider 

 otherwise than a form of R. palmata : we have gathered it in pro- 

 fusion in two British localities, in one of which, both on stones, stems 

 of Laminarice, &c, it takes the place of the ordinary R. palmata, 

 which is nowhere to be found. Ceramium Agardhianum, or rather 

 C. Deslongchampii (see note to p. 100), now for the first time noticed 

 in a British work, has always seemed to us so different from C. dia- 

 phanum, particularly that of ' English Botany,' that we kept them se- 

 parated in our herbarium. Mr. Harvey believes them however not 

 to be specifically distinct. 



Need we dwell on the unparalleled advantages our " island home" 

 presents for this attractive study, or observe, that whilst many of our 

 flowering plants are unfortunately, when dried, but " mummies/' as 

 has been well observed, of their former selves, and generally in beauty 

 yield to those of warmer climes, most of our Algae retain in the 

 Hortus Siccus their pristine loveliness, and in delicacy of form and 

 splendour of colouring rival those of any country on the globe ? Torn 

 from their places of growth, and scattered abroad by the waves, they 

 inspire 



" A rapture on the loneliest shore." 



But it is in their natural places of growth that they are especially to 

 be admired. How beautiful to gaze upon the variety of foliage 



