BENJAMIN SMITH BARTON. 35 



mountain chain of Virginia and the Carolinas, and returned 

 through the coast lands, reaching Philadelphia late in the 

 autumn. Similar assistance was extended to Thomas Nuttall, 

 "whose zeal and services," to use the words of Dr. Barton, 

 " have contributed essentially to extend our knowledge of the 

 northwestern and western flora of North America, and to 

 whom the work of Frederick Pursh is under infinite obliga- 

 tions." Pursh himself gives due credit for Nuttall's contribu- 

 tions. A genus of plants (resembling cactus), first described 

 by them, was named Bartonia^ in honour of " their mutual 

 friend Dr. B. S. Barton." In a paper written by Dr. Barton, a 

 few days before his death, he says of Nuttall : 



"I became acquainted with this young Englishman in Phila- 

 delphia several years ago ; and observing in him an ardent 

 attachment to and some knowledge of botany, I omitted no 

 opportunity of fostering his zeal, and of endeavouring to ex- 

 tend his knowledge. He had constant access to my house, and 

 the benefit of my botanical books. 



"In 1810 I proposed to Mr. Nuttall the undertaking of an 

 expedition entirely at my own expense and under my immedi- 

 ate direction, to explore the botany, etc., of the northern and 

 northwestern parts of the United States and the adjoining 

 British territories." Dr. Barton further relates that Nuttall set 

 out on this journey in April, 1810, but he deviated from the 

 route which had been pointed out to him, having been pre- 

 vailed upon to ascend the Missouri with other travellers, whose 

 objects were principally traffic. Returning, he reached St. 

 Louis in the autumn of 1811. "In the latter end of the year 

 1811, Mr. Nuttall returned to England by the way of New Or- 

 leans. Previously to his departure he transmitted to me a 

 number of the dried specimens and seeds which he had col- 

 lected." It was on this trip that Nuttall found two species of 

 the genus that he named Bartonia y descriptions and specimens 

 of which he furnished to his patron. 



Among the early printed works of Dr. Barton was a Memoir 

 concerning the Fascinating Faculty which has been ascribed 

 to the Rattlesnake and other North American Serpents, pub- 

 lished in 1796. He issued a supplement to this memoir four 

 years later, and a new edition in 1814. The original paper had 

 been read before the American Philosophical Society. He also 

 undertook a work on the materia medica of the United States, 



