Bibliography. | 151 
of botanical literature has a more important contribution been made to 
the Flora of the British Isles than on the present occasion. Of Dr. 
Harvey’s fitness for the descriptive portion of the work, a moment’s 
doubt could not be entertained ; but it adds infinitely to the value of the 
plates to know that not only are the drawings and analysis all executed 
by Mr. Harvey’s own hands, but the plates (lithographs) also; thus 
ensuring the most perfect accuracy to the figures as well as the letter- 
press. The work will be completed in sixty numbers, and each num- 
ber contains six colored plates at the moderate price of 2s. 6d. These 
appear without reference to systematic order, but at the conclusion of 
each volume, and more fully at the completion of the entire work, sys- 
tematic and alphabetical indexes will be added; and finally a general 
introduction, to be prefixed to the last volume, will complete the history. 
The plates represent the natural size of magnified dissections of the 
species, accompanied by generic and specific characters, synonyms, 
British habitats, the geographical distribution and general history of 
each individual, in a fuller and more perfect manner, than has yet been 
attempted in any work exclusively devoted to the illustration of British 
In Great Britain the sea-weeds have long been favorite objects of 
study, and are perhaps as well known as many tribes of phaenogamous 
plants; while with us they have been almost universally neglected. 
We hope that this neglect will not continue. Our species, especially 
those of our northern shores, being mostly the same as those of the 
north of Europe, this work of Dr. Harvey, and his former Manual of 
British Algz, will do much to facilitate their study with us, in default 
of native writings on this branch of botany. To call attention to the 
subject, and to show how easily persons of leisure, who reside upon or 
visit the coast, may render essential assistance to those specially oc- 
cupied with this department, we venture to copy a portion of a privaie 
letter of Dr. Harvey’s soliciting such collections :— 
“IT have in contemplation other illustrated works on the foreign spe- 
cies, and am therefore very desirous of specimens frorn all parts of the 
world. From North America I have nothing! except a few from the 
west coast. Your long line of coast must contain many good things. 
They are easily dried, and make very pretty objects especially admired 
by lady botanists. Have you none of this class in America, who 
would like the amusement of picking sea-weeds on the shores? Here 
we have many, and some of our best observers are ladies. Good- 
natured persons who will merely visit the shore and pick up by hands- 
full whatever i is seen; dry them like hay in the sun, without washing ; 
pack them roughly when dry in a common packing case, and ae ; 
them in this state to Europe, will do us at this side the water an essen- 
ae 
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