the BrliiJIj Fuci, •with particular Defcriptiom of each Species. 89 



je£l in confequencc of Dr. Smith's mod fortunate purchafc of the 

 Linnasan Mufeum, then fo many errors in the nomeiKlature have 

 been difcovered, fuch mifconceptions of Linnseus's defignation, and 

 fo many new fpecies found fince Mr, Hudfon wrote, that it was 

 in our judgment better to begin de novo, and to lay the whole 

 before our Society, drawn up afrelTi, and containing complete de- 

 fcriptions taken from the plants themfelves. 



The frudlification of the jllga-, particularly of thofe called aqua- 

 tica, is the opprobrium botanicorum, and indeed feems likely to con- 

 tinue fo. It may be aflced, what advance has been made in the 

 knowledge of this particular tribe by any modern ? — Morifon's ob- 

 lervation furnilhed him with almoft as much knowledge of the 

 fubjea as is likely to be obtained, till a Hedwig fhall undertake to 

 illuftrate thefe plants alfo. Morifon's words are, ' If any one af- 



* ferts that the Algx are produced from feed, or fomething analo- 

 ' gous to it, I do not contradidl him ; for in fome plants there 



* feems fomething thick and tuberofe, adhering to the leaves them- 



* felves ; in others there appear fmall veflTels diftimSl from the leaves 



• and the other parts, which however do not contain feeds dry and 

 ' hardened like thofe of land plants : but it is probable that a vif- 



• cous and vifcld humour (if it be merely a humour) is produced in 



♦ them endued with a feminal power, which dropping out of its 



* own accord, or wafhed out by the agitation of the fea, is carried 

 ' here and there, and is diffeminated ; and then by virtue of its 

 ' mucilage flicks to rocks, ftones, fhells, and calcareous fubftances 

 ' with which it may meet, and, having found a proper receptacle, un- 



• folds the image of the future plant.' Perhaps glalTes were not fo 

 much ufed in Morifon's time as at prefent, otherwife he would 

 have obferved feeds in thofe thick and tuberofe parts which he 

 »iientions. Gmelin and Reaumur, who hazarded the moft decided 



Vol. hi. N opinion 



