PREFACE. 



The want of some especial Treatise on Cryptogamic Plants 

 has long been felt Ly British botanists. The last edition of 

 the English translation of Sprengel's Introduction to the 

 Study of Cryptogamic Plants appeared in 1819 ; and 

 whatever the merits of that work may be, it is wholly 

 inadequate to supply the requisite information now. Dr. 

 Burnett's Outlines of Botaiiy contained some valuable notices 

 respecting Cryptogams ; and more recently, The Vegetable 

 Kingdom of Dr. Lindley, especially the second edition of 

 that admirable work, has brought together a mass of informa- 

 tion, which is a most important acquisition to the student who 

 has not access to the multitudinous works in which more 

 modern discoveries are registered. Nor must I pass without 

 notice The Micrograjphic Dictionary of Dr. Griffith and Mr. 

 Henfrey, remarkable alike for the cojsiousness of the matter 

 and the beauty of many of the illustrations. These, however, 

 are not special treatises, nor calculated to supply completely 

 the necessities of the student. 



Nor, indeed, can I point out any treatise in a foreign 

 language, a translation of which would have come up com- 

 pletely to the requisite standard. Bischoff's Kryptogamische 

 Gewdchse is admirable as far as it goes, but the design so 

 ably begun was never completed ; Eisengrein's Einleitung is 

 without illustrations, and extends only to algae and lichens ; 

 and Payer's Botanique Gryptogamique, notwithstanding the 

 beauty and correctness of its very numerous engravings, is too 

 slight in many parts to supply all that may reasonably be 

 required, nor would it be possible for any English publisher, 

 without the use of the original steel blocks, to reproduce it 

 with any chance of remuneration. 



