4 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 



execution, that Schimper, then the leading bryologist 

 of the Old World, and a most competent judge, since he 

 has published hundreds of figures in his " Biyologia Eu- 

 ropcea," not only adopted the same plan in his Synopsis 

 of the European Mosses, but also the very figures them- 

 selves (a few of which were, however, originally his own), 

 whenever they would serve his purpose, as was the case 

 with most of them. A separate edition was published of 

 this portion of the Manual, under the title of "The Musci 

 and Hepatica3 of the United States, east of the Mississippi 

 Eiver" (New York, 1856, imperial octavo), upon thick 

 paper, and with proof-impressions directly from the cop- 

 perplates. This exquisite volume was placed on sale at 

 far less than its cost, and copies are now of great rarity 

 and value. It was with regret that the author of the 

 Manual omitted this cryptogamic portion from the ensu- 

 ing editions, and only with the understanding that a 

 separate " Species Muscorum," or Manual for the Mosses 

 of the whole United States, should replace it. This most 

 needful work Mr. Sullivant was just about to prepare for 

 the press. 



About the same time that Mr. Sullivant thus gave to 

 American students a text-book for our Mosses, he pro- 

 vided an unequalled series of named specimens for illus- 

 trating them. The ample stores which he had collected 

 or acquired, supplemented by those collected by M. Les- 

 quereux (who was associated with him from the year 

 1848) in a journey through the mountainous parts of the 

 Southern States under his auspices, after critical determi- 

 nation were divided into fifty sets, each of about three 

 hundred and sixty species or varieties, with printed, 

 tickets, title, index, etc., and all, except a few copies for 

 gratuitous distribution, were generously made over, to be 

 sold at less than cost, for his esteemed associate's benefit, 

 and, still more, that of the botanists and institutions who 

 could thus acquire them. The title of this cLissical work 



