PROPERTIES OF CRYPTOGAMIC PLANTS. 29 



the means of obtaining a pure alkali from tlie south of Euroj^e) 

 in a most extraordinary degree ; so that the rocky boundary of 

 our island yielded a great revenue to the different proprietors, and 

 to our government, by the duty that was paid on the article pro- 

 duced. Crypt. Eng. 



AGantlio])lioTaj muscoides and Gigantina liehnmtliocorton 

 hold a place in the pharmacopoeia as vermifuges. Chondrus 

 crispus has been of late largely collected in Ireland, after it has 

 lain and become bleached upon the beach, and is used very gen- 

 erally as a substitute for isinglass in making blanc-mange. The 

 famous '•'■ edible nests'''' (the nest of the swallow called Hirundo 

 esculenta) are said to be made from a species of sea- weed ; and, 

 lastly, we may mention that sea-weed is employed, to a vast extent, 

 in the manuring of land in the vicinity of the coast, either thrown 

 on fresh, or first laid in a heap to ferment and mixed with other 

 vegetable manures. Crypt. Eng. Many fuci contain a gelati- 

 nous matter, and a sweet principle analogous to mannite. U. S. 

 Disp., 1253 ; Diet, des Sc. Med., xvii., 109. 



Sargassum mdgare^ Ag. Sp. Alg., 1. 

 FuGus natans. Turn. Hist. 



Common Sargassum. 



Found on the sea shores. 



Florida Keys ; Harvey. 



Long Island ; Bailey. 

 Merat states that to the F. natans of L., lithontriptic and diu- 

 retic virtues have been attributed. Pison says it is very useful in 

 pains, suppression of urine, nephritic colic, &c. Kalm reports 

 that in America it is used as a febrifuge. Li Spain, Avith vinegar, 

 it is eaten as a condiment. D'Acosta recommended it in diseases 

 of the bladder. Diet, de Mat. Med., iii. 307 ; Diet, des Drogues. 



Fucus serratus^ Linn. Grev., Alg-. Brit., p. 15. Serrated Fu- 

 cus. Rocky sea shores ; abundant. Spring and summer ; not 

 found on the American coast ; "W". H. H. 



Lsennec having observed the comparative infrequency of 

 phthisis on the shores of Bretagne, conceived the idea of creating 

 a kind of factitious maritime air by the presence of these plants 

 (Traite des Ausc. Mediate) ; but, though the experiment was made 

 under his own eyes, it failed. Merat & De Lens, Diet, de Mat. 

 Med., iii. 303. Vauquelin discovered in a number of the plants, 

 mannite and a number of salts, in which hyd. of potash predomi- 

 nated. Merat & De Lens, in Supplem. vol., 1846, and in the 



