93 



ticed in the work itself. All these, too, Dr. Hooker is enabled to 

 compare with a great number of the species of tlie United States, 

 which he has received with their names from the authors of most of 

 the Floras of that country, and which will serve to clear up many 

 points which must otherwise have remained doubtful. 



A considerable number of seeds have likewise been brought home 

 by Captain Franklin and Dr. Richardson, and many have already 

 vegetated; so that it may be expected that we shall soon have a 

 number of these rarities flowering in our gardens; and, as may very 

 well be conceived in a country not extending further south than lat. 

 42** (and this of an alpine character), such plants must be admirably 

 suited to cultivation in the open air with us : which circumstance will 

 Sfive an additional interest to the Flora. 



So large has been the collection in the Class Cn/ptogamia, that 

 Mr. Drummond, Assistant Naturalist to the Expedition, has, in illus- 

 tration of the above work, published, under the title of 



" Musci Amekicani," 

 specimens of the Mosses which were gathered during the expedition. 

 The number of distinct species, thus procured, exceeds two hundred 

 and forty, which, with the well marked varieties, amount to two 

 hundred and eighty-six kinds, to each being affixed its name, and 

 references to species that have been already described, and descriptive 

 characters of those which have proved to be new. The whole of 

 the continent of North America has not been known to possess so 

 many Mosses as Mr. Drummond has detected in this single journey. 

 Scarcely any species of Phascum was before ascertained to exist in 

 North America ; here there are five, one of which has been hitherto 

 undescribed, P. subexsertum. Among some of the most interesting 

 species of other genera, we may mention Gi/mnostomum phascoides, 

 latifolium, and pumilum, three new species ; Splachnnm rubruni and 

 luteum, two of the finest and probably the most difficult to be obtained 

 of any of the known Mosses. Upon the latter interesting ones, 'Mr. 

 Drummond has made two remarks, which are at variance witli the 

 previously received opinions respecting them ; namely, that the curi- 

 ous apophysis, which Hedwig and others considered to be umbracu- 

 liform, in a perfect state is glabrous and filled with a copious celkilar 

 tissue mixed with a fluid substance : and secondly, that notwith- 



