12 FEENS : BEITISH AND FOEEIGN. 



to joining the Herald, he explored several parts of 

 Panama and Veraguas, and wMle on board the 

 Herald visited various parts of the western ooast of 

 America, between Lima on the south and California 

 on the northj occasionally making long journeys 

 inlandj particularly in Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico. 

 He hkewise accompanied the Herald in her three 

 voyages to the Arctic regions in search of the 

 ill-fated Sir John Franklin ; visited twice the Sand- 

 wich Islands ;' and returned home by way of Hong- 

 Kong, Singapore, and the Cape of Good Hope. Not- 

 withstanding the few facilities afforded by surveying 

 expeditions for collecting living plants. Dr. Seemann 

 succeeded in introducing some interesting ones to ■ 

 our gardens ; and among Ferns we may mention two 

 very remarkable ones, Deparia proUfera from the 

 Sandwich Islands, and DidyoxipMum Panamense from 

 Panama. 



On the Herald being recommissioned in 1852, Mr. 

 William Milne was appointed assistant-botanist, for 

 the special purpose of collecting plants for the Royal 

 Gardens. During the six years he was attached to 

 the Herald he visited New Caledonia, the Fiji, and 

 other Polynesian islands, as weU as many other places 

 in the southern hemisphere. 



The Admiralty having, early in 1857, determined 

 doosnnnding out a second exploring expedition up 

 the Niger, under the command of Dr. Baikie, R.N., 

 Mr. Charles Barter, a zealous and intelligent young 

 gardener, was appointed to accompany him in the 

 capacity of botanist, and to collect plants for Kew. 

 The officers of the expedition proceeded by way 

 of Sierra Leone^ and joined the Dayspring, a small 



