Prof. Agardh's Memoir on the Red Snow, $c. 167 



er part of European Russia, differ only inconsiderably in regard to their 

 vegetable productions; (b) ProvinciaAstragalorum, Halophytorum, et Cy- 

 narocephalarum, province of northern Asia. To this belongs a part of 

 the Caucasian countries, and of the remaining part of Asiatic Russia. The 

 abundance of the three groups of plants above mentioned, characterize 

 this province, as well from the preceding province as from the following 

 region. 



(To be concluded in next Number.) 



III. Memoir on the Red Snow of the Arctic Regions. By Professor Ag- 

 -ardh of Lund. " Uber den in der Polar-zone gefundenen Rothen 

 Schnee." Nova Acta Academia Nat. Curios, vol. xii. 



Since we have, in former numbers of this Journal, brought forward the 

 observations of authors upon this singular vegetable production, (as it is 

 now universally acknowledged to be,) and since we have ourselves enter- 

 ed rather fully upon the subject in the yet unpublished Botanical Ap- 

 pendix to Captain Parry's Second Voyage, we shall here subjoin an analysis 

 of Professor Agardh's valuable Memoir, which is just published. 



" Rain, he says, charged with extraneous substances, is not an unusual 

 phenomenon. The most general appearance of this kind, is what is de- 

 nominated a shower of sulphur. Upon examining this, no sulphur has ever 

 been found, but the farina of the pine, (Pinus sylvestris.J Some years 

 since, rain of this kind fell at Lund, which I had the opportunity of ex- 

 amining, and found it mixed with this pollen, although the pine forests, 

 that must have produced it, could not have been at a less distance than 

 from five to six Swedish miles. 



Next to this kind of rain, that which has been denominated a shower 

 of blood, is the most frequent ; but, with the nature of this, we are as yet 

 but imperfectly acquainted. That which Peiresc observed in the year 

 1608, near Aix in France, was occasioned by insects, as was probably that 

 which fell at Schonen in 1711, and which was examined by the clergy- 

 man Hildebrand ; notwithstanding that the learned Bishop Swedberg 

 looked upon it as a supernatural phenomenon, and as a portentous sign 

 from the Divinity. In such cases, it is absolutely necessary that we ob- 

 serve whether the red particles fell with the rain, or whether they after- 

 wards became incorporated with it. For another red fluid deserves to be 

 mentioned, that which is known under the name of " blood red water," 

 (blutrothe wasser,) but which the common people aver to be water 

 changed into blood, and of which many authors have written ; but that 

 appears, or rather most certainly is, of two kinds. That which is the 

 most common, occurs in spring or in hot summers, in ponds, and is 

 formed, according to Linnaeus, of an immense number of animalcules, the 

 Monoculus Pukx, Lin. (Daphinia Pulex, Lair.) ;* but according to my 



• It is singular that Linnanis, who appears to be so well acquainted with this 

 Monocului I'ukr, should have ascribed to it the colouring of the water. 1 have 



