United States Exploring Expedition. 



tion, it was impossible to sketch all ; and those were selected 

 for sketching on the spot, whose forms and colours were most 

 liable to change. 



Ten thousand species of plants, and upwards of fifty thou- 

 sand specimens, constitute the Herbarium of the expedition. 

 The following catalogue gives the number of species collected 

 at the several places visited : — 



9646 



Including the mosses, lichens, and sea-weeds, the number 

 will exceed 10,000. Besides dried specimens, 204 living plants 

 were brought home, and are now in the green-house in the 

 yard of the Patent Office, along with many others raised from 

 seeds. The kinds of seeds obtained amount to 1156. Many 

 of the expedition plants are now growing in the various green- 

 houses of the couiitry, and also in England and other parts of 

 Europe. Specimens of different woods have been preserved, 

 the most interesting of which are those of large arborescent 

 species of Oxalis, Viola, Repogonum, Piper, Geranium, Ar- 

 gyroxiphium, Dracophyllum, Rubus, Bromelia, Lobelia, and 

 Compositse of various kinds, besides sections of the Tree Ferns 

 and Palms of the Tropics. There are coloured drawings of 

 180 species of plants beautifully executed. 



Besides the observations at which we have glanced, in the 

 departments of zoology and botany, particular attention was 

 paid to the geographical distribution of plants and animals, 

 and many important facts have been ascertained. The reports 

 on this subject, with the accompanying illustrative maps, will 

 be found to be among the most interesting of the results of 



