398 ILLL'STKATIONS OP THE GENUS CAREX. 



takea Aetheria with its curious mode of attachment, and MuUeria with 

 its Oyster-like mode of fixture and roughness of shell and its single 

 adductor muscle, as types of families. I am well persuaded that besides 

 Castalia there are several good genera capable of clear definition among 

 the varied forms which constitute the immense genus Unio, my family 

 Unionidae. 



(Jb he Continued.^ 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GENUS CAREX. 



We have great pleasure in making known to those of our members 

 who are interested in Botanical pursuits a valuable addition to the library 

 of the Canadian Institute, which we owe to thegenerosity of Mrs. Boott: 

 the " Illustrations of the genus Carex" in 4 vols, folio, by her late hus- 

 band, Dr. Francis Boott. We need not speak here of the extraordi- 

 nary merit of this beautiful work on which its distinguished author 

 laboured so long and earnestly ; but as the cost of its accurate, and 

 highly finished, figures unavoidably excludes it from the private libraries 

 of most botanical students, it will be a satisfaction to them to know that 

 the munificence of Mrs. Boott designed as a memorial of her husband, . 

 and extending, as we are informed, to a large number of Scientific insti- 

 tutions, has put it in their power to use a most important aid to their 

 studies, from which they cannot fail to derive both pleasure and profit. 

 The bota,nist of our district need no longer look with despair at his col- 

 lection of species of this numerous and difiicult genus, which contributes 

 so largely to our local Flora. We may state, for the benefit of the uni- 

 nitiated, that the Genus Carex consists of numerous species of plants, 

 popularly called Sedges, and often confoundeded with coarse grasses, 

 belonging to the order Cyperacae, which stands next to the true grasses 

 amongst Monocotyledonous plants. About 140 species are natives of 

 the Northern and middle United States and Canada ; upwards of 60 

 are found in Britain, and many in India, South America and other 

 parts. The distinctions of the species require minute and careful obser- 

 vation, and most botanists find them among the most difiicult plants to 

 determine satisfactorily. Hence the peculiar interest of a treatise upon 

 them by one who had long and carefully studied those from all parts of 

 the world ; whose learning, experience, habits of minute observation, 



