38 ' INTRODUCTION. IV. 



Serratus are frequently hung in the cottages of the poor as rude barometers, their 

 hygrometric qualities, which arise from the salt they contain, indicating a change 

 of weather. 



In our account of the artistic value of Algse, we ought not to pass unnoticed the 

 ornamental works which tl^e manufacturers of " sea-weed pictures," and baskets of 

 " ocean-flowers," construct from the various beautiful species of our coasts, and 

 which are so well known at charity bazaars, accompanied by a much-hackneyed 

 legend, commencing, 



" Call us not weeds, we are flowers of the sea," &c. 



Some of these " works of art " display considerable taste in the arrangement, 

 and the objects themselves are so intrinsically beautiful that they can rarely be 

 otherwise than attractive. During the recent pressure of Irish famine, many ladies 

 in various parts of the country employed a portion of their leisure in the manufac- 

 ture of these ornamental works, and no despicable sum was raised by the sale. 



Other sums, for charitable purposes, have been realized in a way which a botanist 

 would deem more legitimate, by the sale of books of prepared and named specimens; 

 and my friend, the Rev. Dr. Landsborough,* I am told, has in this manner collected 

 money which has gone a considerable way towards building a church. There seems 

 no good reason why missionaries in distant countries might not, either personally 

 or through their pupils or families, collect these and other natural objects, and sell 

 them for the benefit of their mission ; by which means they would not only obtain 

 funds for pursuing the work more immediately committed to them, but would have 

 the satisfaction of knowing that in doing so they were unfolding to the admiration 

 of mankind new pages of the wide-spread volume of nature. 



Unfortunately, it happens that in the educational course prescribed to our 

 divines, natural history has no place, for which reason many are ignorant of the 

 important bearings which the book of Nature has upon the book of Revelation. 

 They do not consider, apparently, that both are from God — both are His faithful 

 witnesses to mankind. And if this be so, is it reasonable to suppose that either, 

 without the other, can be fully understood ? It is only necessary to glance at the 

 absurd commentaries in reference to natural objects which are to be found in too 

 many annotators of the Holy Scriptures, to be convinced of the benefit which the 

 clergy would themselves derive from a more extended study of the works of 

 creation. And to missionaries, especially, a minute familiarity with natural objects 

 must be a powerful assistance in awakening the attention of the savage, who, after 

 his manner, is a close observer, and likely to detect a fallacy in his teacher, should 

 the latter attempt a practical illustration of his discourse without sufficient know- 

 ledge. f This subject is too important for casual discussion, and deserves the careful 

 consideration of those in whose hands the education of the clergy rests. These are 

 not days in which persons who ought to be our guides in matters of doctrine 

 can aiford to be behind the rest of the world in knowledge ; nor can they safelv 



* Author of " A Popular History of British Seaweeds." 

 t See some excellent observations on this subject in " Foot-prints of the Creator : or, the Asterolepis 

 of Stromness," by Hugh Miller. London, ISii). 



