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attention to the sea plants. Since then, smaller collections have 
been made for the Garden by Mr. A. A. Heller and by Mr. Percy 
Wilson, but these remain practically unstudied. It will therefore 
not be surprising if the study of the Porto Rico collections now 
in possession of the Garden should reveal considerable of novelty, 
yet it may be doubted if there is so large an element that is pecu- 
liar to individual islands of the West Indies in the case of the 
marine algae as there has been found to be in the case of the 
land plants, for the seaweeds, growing in the medium which sur- 
rounds and connects the islands, are naturally much less isolated 
than the plants which are confined to the land. 
Another visit to Porto Rico, in the winter season, would prob- 
ably supplement our present collections in such a way as to form 
a basis for a tolerably complete catalogue of the marine algae of 
the island. 
Respectfully submitted, 
; MarsHALt A. Howe, 
VEGETABLE FOODS.* 
The object of this lecture is to consider the fundamental and 
characteristic distinctions between vegetable and animal foods. 
It may be that at some future time the human race, in general, 
will come to regard the slaughter of domestic animals for food 
very much as we now regard the use of human flesh for the same 
purpose. While it is not my intention to enter into a discussion 
of this question, yet many of the facts to be considered have a 
direct bearing upon its principles, which must therefore be re- 
ferred to. It is worth while to say in advance that physiology 
teaches us quite clearly that the human race is not adapted, at 
present, for exclusive subsistence upon either the animal or veg- 
etable foods at our command; and that, if we were forced to de- 
pend wholly upon either, we could not do so as well upon the 
vegetable as upon the animal class. This, however, proves 
* Abstract of lecture delivered at the New York Botanical Garden, June 13, 1903. 
