216 Bibliographical Notices. 



waving in the basins of the rocky coast, when rendered approachable 

 by the retiring tide ! and here we sliall occasionally perceive the fronds 

 of the Chondrus tipped with a "paly flame" of bluish phosphoric 

 light. A little deeper, we may sail over beds of Cystoseira ericoides 

 clothed with iridescence so as strongly to resemble a tract of heath 

 with its dew-drops presenting the hues of the rainbow at early sunrise. 

 Still deeper appear the woods, as they may comparatively be called, 

 of the LaminuricB with numerous fishes moving gracefully about, or 

 quietlj"- sheltering beneath their palm-like umbrage ; whilst amid 

 hosts of " creatures of the element," the beautiful sea-urchin conspi- 

 cuously presents itself, moored to their stems or leaves. Even from 

 their annihilation, from the smoke of the kelp-fire, the wild marine 

 landscape occasionally derives its only image of softened beauty. 

 Often on the lofty mountain's top, when enraptured with the ma- 

 jesty of nature, has the column of smoke, rising at a distance above 

 the bleakest and least ft-equented shores, pointed out to us the pre- 

 sence of man and his labours, when none else was visible. 



But it is not necessary to go to the sea for Algae. In the fresh- 

 water and on the land — nay, within our houses — they are likewise 

 to be found. 



" The stream that with a thousand crystal bubbles 

 Bursts from the bosom of the desert rock 

 In secret solitude," 



displays them on the first pebbles that it moistens ; and in all our 

 waters, from the petty drain to the expansive lake, do they occur, and 

 many species are of considerable size and beauty. But the most 

 minute sometimes enact the greatest part, as appears in former vo- 

 lumes of these 'Annals.' Glaslough (or Green-lake) in Ireland derives 

 its name, according to Dr. Drummond, from a minute Oscilhttoria 

 that colours it* ; and more recently Mr. Thompson has shown that an 

 Alga belonging to a diflFerent tribe, and whose full length is but one- 

 fortieth of an inch, is distributed in such quantity through a lake 

 near Belfast, as to impart to the whole of its waters a dull green hue 

 for a portion of every year f. 



The reputation of Mr. Harvey as a botanist, and one who has 

 especially studied the class of plants which forms the subject of the 

 volume before us, is so high, that it would be quite supererogatory to 

 dwell upon the excellent manner in which every part is executed. 

 Again do we hail with sincere pleasure the appearance of this Manual, 

 the first work which, containing full descriptions of every species, has 

 been devoted solely to the British Algae. A work upon our Mosses — 

 ' Muscologia Britannica' — reached a second edition long since : one 

 treating of our Fungi has been some years in existence ; and we hope, 

 that at no very distant day, the volume at present under considera- 

 tion will be followed by one illustrative of our native Lichens. 



* Annals of Nat. Hist., vol. i. p. 1. t Id., vol. v, p. 75. 



