294 NOSTOCHlNEiK. 



Filaments curved, thick, almost cylindrical, with here and 



there an enlarged spherical celhde. 

 N. crassisporum Menegh., Consp. Alg. Europ. p. 7. ; et iV[ 



macrosporujn, Monographia Nostochinearum Italicaruni, 



p. 116. pl.xiv. fig. 2. 

 Hab. Ireland : il/r. Moore. 



Meneghini describes the frond of his N. macrosporum as 

 being polymorphous; in my specimens it was regularly 

 spherical. Meneghiui's description, however, in other respects 

 accords so well with my examples that there scarcely a doubt 

 can exist as to their identity with the N. macrosporum. 



" But different objects stimulate different minds to inquiry. Perhaps 

 the contemplation of the vegetable kingdom may be suited to the varied 

 conditions of more persons than the investigation of the animal structure ; 

 for plants, abundantly bordering our paths, are more readily procured for 

 the purposes of analytical examination, attract more continual attention 

 in our moments of leisure by many trivial allurements, and give little or 

 no shock to the most irritable sympathies during dissection. The vege- 

 table kingdom, as a manifest part of a universally concatenated system, 

 presents unquestionable traces of the great Intelligence -which has planned 

 and constructed the whole. These traces appear so singularly diversified 

 thi'ough every part of the great sphere of human observation, that the 

 conclusion is irresistible, that such diversity has been especially intended 

 as a final cause to awaken admiration in beings of duly adapted intelli- 

 gence, to stimulate feelings made to be in harmony with such display of 

 beauty and of glory ; with a purpose to obviate all doubt, to evoke con- 

 tinual rapture, and to elevate the soul of man through transitions of fear 

 and wonder and awe to adoration and to divine love, which is said to be 

 the perfection of all wisdom." — J. S. Duncan's Botanical Theology. 



