50 Bibliographical Sotices. 



book before us, the pencil and the graver have often been wielded by 

 their hands and guided by their eyes. 



Much yet remains to be done in British zoophytology. Dr. John- 

 ston's volume is the herald of much research, and we trust he will 

 continue his own studies, whilst he has enabled others to commence 

 theirs. From Sir John Dalyell too, so often referred to in the volume 

 before us, much is to be expected. The fragments on polypi, which 

 that learned observer has already put forth, announce facts so 

 strange and novel, that every British zoologist looks forward anx- 

 iously to the publication of his long-promised volume. In the allied 

 classes of Echinodermata and Arachnodermata our Fauna is sadly 

 confused. May we not look to Dr. Johnston for a clearing up 

 of these subjects ? The admirable manner in which, although sur- 

 rounded by difficulties and occupied by professional engagements, 

 he has elucidated the natural history of our zoophytes, is a sufficient 

 pledge for the mode in which the task would be performed. 



We have great pleasure in being able to announce the appearance 

 of the first part of the 1st vol. of a ' Flora of North America/ 

 containing abridged descriptions of all the known indigenous and 

 naturalized plants growing north of Mexico, arranged according to 

 the Natural System, by Dr. John Torrey and Dr. Asa Gray. 

 When we consider the extent of country embraced by this Flora, 

 from Key west in Florida, lat. 25 S., to the extreme arctic regions, 

 and from Newfoundland in the east to California and Behring's 

 Straits in the west, this may well be looked upon as a gigantic un- 

 dertaking, and such as few, if any, are so able to accomplish as the 

 well-know r n botanists now mentioned. They have been engaged 

 for a series of years in making preparations for this publication, and 

 they have met with the most powerful assistance from every person 

 w T ho has taken an interest in the botany of that immense continent. 

 " The value of this Flora," they assure us, " will be greatly enhanced 

 by the extensive contributions of Mr. Nuttall, who has communi- 

 cated to us for publication his notes and descriptions of the plants 

 collected in his recent journey to Oregon and California, by way of 

 the southern ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Mr. Nuttall's col- 

 lections are very interesting, and comprise a large number of new 

 genera and species, a considerable portion of which were obtained in 

 a region never before visited by botanists." We cannot give a better 

 idea of the great progress of American botany than by comparing 

 the number of certain species contained in certain orders or genera 

 as published by Pursh in 1815, and Drs. Torrey and Gray in the 

 present work, published in 1838. 



