I20 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. XX. No. 499 



of former pupils. I would suggest that these statistics should 

 be so tabulated as to distinguish the earnings of the pupils 

 who could articulate and read speech from the mouth, from 

 those who could not. I have no doubt that pupils who 

 speak, have an advantage in life over those who do not; and 

 that statistics will demonstrate that their average earnings 

 exceed the average earnings of those who are unable to 

 articulate. If this should turn out to be the case, what an 

 argument it would be to present to legislatures in favor of 

 appropriations for articulation teaching ? 



I venture to predict, we shall find that our former pupils 

 who speak, even though they may be unable to read speech, 

 earn more per annum than those who are forced to resort 

 exclusively to manual means of communication; and those 

 of them who can read speech, as well as speak, are still bet- 

 ter ott' in life. 



Mr. Davidson of the Pennsylvania Institution has sug- 

 gested another valuable line of inquiry. From a comparison 

 of numerous letters in his possession, he makes the assertion 

 that orally-taught pupils improve in their knowledge and 

 use of language after leaving school. I would suggest the 

 importance of preserving uncorrected letters of your pupils 

 during the whole period of their school life, and of keeping 

 up correspondence with them after they leave school. A 

 comparison of letters written by the same pupil at different 

 periods of time vpould be invaluable as a means of determin- 

 ing his progress; and the correspondence in adult life might 

 be utilized, for the purpose of collecting statistics concerning 

 the earnings and general success in life of our pupils. 



REMARKS ON NORTH AMERICAN LICHENOLOGY.— 

 PRELIMINARY. 



BY W. W. CALKINS. 



In introducing the above title for my subject, I owe to 

 myself and to the promoters and patrons of a journal em- 

 bracing the scope, influence, and popularity of Science an 

 explanation of my purpose in bringing into public notice 

 that department of botany which it appears to me as an 

 humble worker in this field has heretofore received too little 

 attention from botanists and institutions of learning in 

 North America. My object is, then, to contribute in some 

 measure towards the upbuilding of a more general interest 

 among students in what seems to have been considered an 

 uninteresting and obscure field of research. 



In other departments there are workers by the hundreds. 

 In American lichenology only one name and one life stands 

 out pre eminent as the founder, promoter, and able exponent 

 of the science, Edward Tuckernian. He has gone to his 

 rest, but his works remain. As a systematist, he brought 

 order out of chaos. He formulated and developed a classifi- 

 cation more nearly approaching Nature in her arrangements 

 and divisions of the Lichens than any previous authors, — 

 unless it be Elias Fries and Dr. Nylander, — both illustrious 

 names. 



This system, thus established by Tuckerman, is the basis 

 of the science in this country, and his published writings the 

 sole text-book and guide of the American student. Tucker- 

 man's style of writing is certainly unique, — sui generis, — 

 but when once comprehended, impressive and convincing, 

 as well as clear. I confess to long vigils before I could un- 

 derstand him. Having had the benefit of collecting and 

 comparing the greater part of the species described by him 

 in their native habitats, my admiration for his profound 

 knowledge, apprehension, and far-seeing into the secrets of 



nature, as evinced by what he calls " habit," increases with 

 each review of his works. 



This was made plainer to me from recent investigations in 

 Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, by the fortunate finding 

 of several rare saxicolous species which Tuckerman described, 

 and which had not been seen since Judge T. M. Peters dis- 

 covered and sent them to him. There were doubts in my 

 mind which were now dissipated by an actual review in situ 

 day after day, as I wandered over the calcareous rocks of 

 the mountain region where found. I will now only specify 

 one species, Pannaria stenophylla, which grows intermixed 

 and cunningly hidden with another but more common form, 

 Pannaria Petersii. The thallus and reddish-brown fruit are 

 scarcely distinguishable at first. I am indebted to the keen 

 discrimination of my friend S. Higginson for the complete 

 settlement of this rare species. 



Since Tuckerman's death no one has appeared to fill his 

 place; the nearest approach being Henry Willey, who, how- 

 ever, has retired from active work, but not without leaving 

 two publications of great value. In a recent letter to me 

 from Dr. Nylander, he laments these losses to American 

 science. But what has been can be. We must wait for 

 some one of pre-eminent ability and adaptation to grow into 

 the vacancy. Meantime, I doubt if anyone in the United 

 States is making a special study of Lichens. Two or three 

 have considerable knowledge of them, however. This is to 

 be regretted. An inviting field, vast and rich, is open and 

 oflers great rewards. Who would exchange a fame like 

 Tuckerman's for any amount of worldly wealth ! I appre- 

 hend that he himself did not realize the extent or value of 

 his own labors to which his entire life was devoted; neither 

 the gratitude of his followers and successors, who without 

 the works he left would be without a guide, and like an army 

 without a general. I am sure that my co-laborers will agree 

 with me in this. We may then be considered as entering 

 upon a new era in the prospects and progress of the study in 

 this country, which is coincident with the tremendous strides 

 shown in phtenogamic botany and in the increasing number 

 of students in cryptogamia — as the fungi. Having myself 

 for many years worked in those fields and witnessed the 

 growth and increasing number of students, I have watched 

 for corresponding interest as to Lichens. From the evidence 

 received by me, the future is promising. 



While specialists in Europe have explored every corner, 

 and the great Nylander has given a lifetime of labor to this 

 subject, the species of only detached portions of America 

 have been investigated. The extreme south of our coasts 

 and the far west are almost a terra incognita. The sub- 

 tropical portions are prolific in new species and rare forms. 

 It was my fortune to find and submit a large number of 

 these to Willey and Nylander, yet I merely skimmed over 

 the surface. The southern Appalachian Mountain region is 

 almost as interesting in its rock forms, which are the most 

 difficult perhaps to study {vide Nylander on my new Ten- 

 nessee species). Their interest is, however, exceedingly 

 great. While it is true that hundreds of new forms remain 

 to be discovered, and are a great incentive to the explorer, 

 yet it is clear that the resolution of those now known will 

 afford active and valuable work to whoever undertakes it. 

 It being admitted that the study of Lichens is difficult, still 

 with such aids as I have mentioned, and ready access to the 

 increasing herbariums and literature of the subject, the ob- 

 stacles and objections disappear rapidly, — it being supposed 

 that one pursues the subject con amore. 



147 Calllornla Ave., Chicago, 111. 



