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and unity — the infinite perfectability of these despised or neglected 

 objects. Of our Algae, take one of its lowest forms, — some of the 

 Conferva. Its means of fructification appear so different from the 

 generality of vegetable bodies, that it astonishes the invesiigator, 

 who may thereby have been led into the error that they are a com- 

 pound of vegetable and animal bodies. The germ of vegetation is 

 contained within the frond, free from spore or confinement of any 

 kind, and moves up and down the filament in which it is enclosed, 

 as by volition. When at maturity, one of the cells bursts, and 

 emits the active little body in the form of gelatine, to which is 

 attached a small hair-like protuberance, by which the germ is pro- 

 pelled actively through the water, as by volition, until it meets with 

 some favorite location or body to which it attaches itself, grows, 

 and becomes similar to its patent plant. Even observing and ex- 

 perienced naturalists have been deceived by these appearances, and 

 Professor Agardh stated that they were first plants, then animals, 

 and then again plants. Take the lowest, of animal formaiions, — the 

 Medusa, for instance. It emits gelatinous substances to which are 

 attached cilia, by which they are propelled through the water as by 

 volition, until they find some favorite object to which they become 

 attached and grow like a stalked plant. When they have attained a 

 certain stage, they form on the apex saucer-like bodies, which, as 

 they mature, fall ofl, and each saucer becomes a young Mediisce,, 

 like its parent. Naturalists have likewise been mistaken by lhese 

 appearances, and have declared that the Medusae is first animal, 

 then vegetable, and again animal. Here is analogy and affinity 

 illustrated more forcibly than are met with in more highly organized 

 bodies of creation. 



It is but within these few years that any naturalists have paid 

 deserving attention to Algology in this country, contenting them- 

 selves with the position which the glorious Swede had given them 

 among the Cryptogamia ; namely, four genera — Fucus, Ceramium, 

 Ulva, and Conferva. But since the days of Linnaeus, the free uses 

 of good microscopes have evolved much light upon the nalure, 

 habits, and characteristics of these plants, which have compelled a 

 new classification, and they now stand in their properly elevated 

 position, as a class in Natural History ; and this class, Algology, 

 contains many well-defined orders, every one composed of many 

 established genera. My small catalogue already numbers seven- 

 teen orders of American species. 



