ATTSTEALIAN FEBNS 79 



rendered to the cause of science. Having passed the term of 

 years usually allotted to man, he enjoyed a reputation to which 

 few can hope to attain. He was indeed highly favoured by 

 Divine Providence ; whilst the whole course of his life, even to 

 within a few days of its termination, was an illustration of the 

 great results which can be accomplished by the steady pursuit of 

 any branch of science. Not long since, the late Sir Benjamin 

 Brodie exhibited a remarkable instance of this truth, for by pur- 

 suing his favourite studies without suffering himself to be diverted 

 from what he deemed the main object of his life, he rose by de- 

 grees to be the most eminent surgeon of the day, and for a num- 

 ber of years maintained the high character he had acquired. In 

 like manner, Sir William Hooker became most illustrious in 

 another branch of science, and for upwards of half a century ren- 

 dered the most important services to his fellow- creatures by de- 

 veloping the resources of the vegetable kingdom in a series of 

 volumes which will long continue as monuments of his indomit- 

 able perseverance, sound judgment, and surpassing talent. With- 

 out referring to his works in general, I feel it a duty to mention 

 two matters in particular in which Sir William Hooker has lat- 

 terly advanced the cause of science in this colony, viz., in the 

 first place, by laying the foundation of the Flora Australiensis, 

 now in course of publication under the auspices of Mr. Bentham 

 and Dr. F. Mueller, and arranging systematically in his Species 

 Filicum, all the species of Australian ferns which were known at 

 the time of the publication of that great work. 



The SchizceacecB comprise a group of ferns, differing very widely 

 in appearance and character from others, and they are distin- 

 guished by their spore cases being oval or oblong, seldom globose, 

 and sessile, opening vertically on their outside. They have a 

 striated apex, analogous to a transverse ring, produced on con- 

 tracted marginal lobules, or special appendices, in the form of 

 either simple, racemose, or paniculate contracted fronds or spike- 

 lets. In this suborder, we have to consider only two genera 

 Schizaa and Lygodium. Scliiz&a (from schizo, to divide) is so 

 called, because the spore-cases are arranged on the linear seg- 

 ments at the apex of the fronds, and Lygodium (from lygodes, 

 flexible), because the species have a twining habit. In the latter 

 genus, the sori are on. marginal appendices, forming numerous 



