48 



LICHEN ALES. 



[Thalj.ogens. 



^ 



<&. . • ? x.-.i n 



X X \ 1 1 . 



like matter, that overruns the grass in the mornings of spring and autumn, of this nature, 

 and not of an animal origin. See S. 0. Veg. 318.* 



The nutritive properties of Lichens proba- 

 bly depend upon the presence of an amyla- 

 ceous substance analogous to gelatine, which, 

 according to Berzelius, occurs in the form of 

 ^*i "'ty( .. /->"^\ y*tjfi ** l mre starch or amylaceous fibre, to the 



{' ■—, • "V % amount of 80.8 per cent, in Cetrariaislandica. 



This plant, which is the Iceland Moss of the 

 shops, is slightly bitter as well as mucila- 

 ginous, and is frequently used as a tonic, 

 demulcent, and nutrient ; Cetraria nivalis, 

 Sticta pulmonaria, and Alectoria usneoides, 

 will all answer the same purpose. Tripe de 

 Roche, on which the Canadian hunters are 

 often forced to subsist, is the name of various 

 species of Gyrophora ; several kinds of Leca- 

 nora inhabit even the deserts of Asia in 

 large quantities, and are eaten by the nomade 

 tribes of those regions. The Rein-Deer Moss, 

 which forms the winter food of that animal, is Cenomyce raugiferina. Parmelia 

 pariotina, Borrera furfuracea, Evernia prunastri, Cenomyce pyxidata and coccifera, are 

 reputed astringents and fe- 

 brifuges, and Peltidea aph- 

 thosa an anthelmintic. Alec- 

 toria Arabum (Oschnah) is 

 said to be aedative and sopo- 

 rific. Peltidea canina was 

 once regarded as a specific 

 in hydrophobia. Sticta pul- 

 Uiouacea is used in Siberia 

 for giving a bitter to beer, 

 and in this country is em- 

 ployed, under the name of 

 Lungs of the Oak, as a nou- 

 rishing diet for weak persons. 

 Evernia vulpina, called Ulf- 

 inoBsa by the Swedes, is 

 ii. lieved by that people to 

 In- poisonous to wolves ; but 

 this requires confirmation. 

 See I>> < 'and. Es$ai Mid. 

 318, and Agardh, Aph. 94. 



According to the chemists, 

 Lichens contain Beveral pe- 

 culiar principles ; such as 

 ( letrarine, Picrolichenine, 

 Stictine, and Varioline, which 

 arc bitter; and the colour- 

 ing matters called Oreille, 

 Erythrine, 1 'armelochro- 

 lnine (also called Vulpuline 



and Vulpinic acid), Strveh- 

 uochromine, Stiychnery- 



tlirine, Lecaiiorine, &C. : and 



finally, from [Janes florida, 



5«m 



■j 



Fig. XXXIII. 



• Nothing, however, can be more heterogeneous than the mass of genera collected hy Fries under 

 the unfortunate name of U\ ssac K.t. Many of them are spurious genera, others true Fungals, a few 

 anomaloui Lichens, and a small portion not easily arranged under Fungals, Algals, or Lichens. An 

 excellent notice will be found by Ur. Montague in the History of Cuba, and the latest information on 

 the Buhject in the article Bywace* l In the new Diet d'llist. Nat. By excluding such genera as Cilicia 

 and Conogium, which the example of Parmelia gossypina will justify us in uniting with Lichens, we 

 have remaining a very natural, though small group, which may be distinguished under the name ol 

 1 ■ i ; and Dr. Montague, who has lately had some correspondence on the subject with 



i \ \ \ 1 1. ( 'etraria islaudica : a a. its shields ; 6. a shield maguitied and divided vertically. 

 \ \ \ 1 1 1 -Stic ta pulmonaria, or Lungs of the Oak. 



