32 



modified into any tint of purple or crimson. A beautiful 

 and valuable crimson pigment is obtained from a dark- 

 brown shrubby British Lichen named Cornicularia aculeata. 

 'The common stone Lichen of Scotland, which forms grey 

 rosettes on every rock, is much used by the Scotch peasantry 

 to dye woollen stuffs a dirty purple or reddish-brown color. 

 For much valuable inform?-tion on this subject, the matter is 

 referred to Dr. MacMillan's " First Forms of Vegetation," 

 or Lindsay's "British Lichens." Dr. MacMillam states 

 that in the low rocks on the summits of all the loftiest 

 Highland hills there is a curious leafy Lichen, Pannelia 

 fahhinensis, found abundantly, and with the ajDpearance as if 

 it had been scorched by the sun into a black cinder. Of all 

 Lichens he says this species, judging from its outward color 

 and appearance, would seem to be the last capable of yielding 

 coloring matter ; and yet, when treated in the ordinary way, 

 it yields a brilliant pink-cherry or claret color, which in 

 Franco has been applied to so many useful purposes that 

 the Lichen is laiown as " Herpette de Tenturiers,^' or dyers' 

 Lichen. But the most valuable of all Lichens is the Eoccella 

 fiowtoria, or Orchil, which is so extensely used in dyeing, 

 and is still largely imported from the tropics. It is found 

 as far north as the Channel Islands, but is not in any quan- 

 tity. It used to form a valuable article of export from the 

 Canary Islands. At present the kinds of orchil most sought 

 after are imported from the coast of Africa. 



The coloring matter of all these species separates itself 

 quite easily when rubbed under water The water becomes 

 milky from erythric acid, which settles in the water as a fine 

 powder. The addition of hypochlorite of lime instantly 

 brings out its red color. The same effect will be produced 

 by touching the lichen with the same salt moistened. In 

 fact, hypochlorite of lime becomes a test for any coloring 

 matter in Lichens. In some Lichens, such as Orchil, the 

 coloring matter lies on the surface, in others it is necessary 

 to cut into the th alius to discover it ; but a most certain test 

 for all will be to bruise or boil the Lichen in water, and then 

 add hypochlorite of lime to the infusion. This form of 

 investigation into the habits of Lichens ought to be of the 

 greatest interest and value, especially if we refer to Queens- 

 land. It has been long ago ascertained that Lichens from 

 tropical or subtropical regions possess medicinal and coloring 

 qualities to a much larger extent than those from other 

 regions. Those which grow near the sea are also more 

 valuable than those growing inland. 



Australia would not be looked upon as a likely field for 

 new Lichens, when we reflect upon the large proportion of 



