218 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY. 



others, and Dr. Harvey's kindness on the occasion is but one of 

 many similar instances. But the plant is still a rare one, and 

 his letters tell its history very prettily, besides showing the 

 amiability with which he received the least morsel of assistance 

 from amateurs, however ignorant." • 



Cushendall, County of Antrim, 



August 16, 1850. 



Madam, 



Your very obliging letter containing a drawing of Chrysy- 

 menia Orcadensis was forwarded to me from Dublin to this place, 

 where I am passing a few weeks on the seashore, for the 

 purpose of collecting Algae. I hasten to thank you for it, and 

 to say that I should esteem it a great favour to be allowed to 

 examine the original specimen' and to compare it with my 

 Orkney one. My specimen has no fruit ; and if a new character 

 be found in the fruit, it would greatly tend to establish the 

 species. 



At the head of this sheet I have sketched (from the proof of 

 Tab. 301 of " Phycologia Britannica," which will appear in the 

 October number) the outline of the Orkney plant, by which you 

 will see that it is much broader in the frond than yours. Your 

 drawing reminds me of a specimen which I have from North 

 America, and to which I once assigned the MS. name " rosea" 

 without examining whether it had sufficiently distinct characters 

 to constitute a species. I should like therefore to have the 

 opportunity of comparing with the American plant also. 



If you will trust me with your specimen it shall be carefully 

 returned, with as little delay as possible. I shall be in Dublin 

 (I expect) the first week in September, but remain only a few 

 days ; and if you kindly address me to the college about that 

 time, I should examine, compare, and return your specimen 

 before leaving home, and I should particularly wish to do so at 

 that time, as I shall have then to send forward the MS. of 

 the ''Phycologia Britannica" description of Chrysymenia Orca- 

 densis to the printer. It will give me great pleasure at all times 

 to assist you in any algological difficulties, and, again thanking 

 you for your letter, I am, Madam, with much respect, your 

 obliged servant, 



W. H. Harvey. 



