ADVERTISEMENT. Xi 



In the description of the colours of the flowers, leaves, fruit, ^c. 

 the author has assumed the new and precise nomenclature of Wer- 

 ner, as exemplified in Mr. Symes's edition. No further importance 

 is intended to he conveyed hy this precision in designating the vari- 

 ous tints of nature, than that which truth and perspicuity must 

 always afford. To this it may he remarked, that few hotanists de- 

 serve colours accurately, owing to the general confusion and errone- 

 ous ideas which prevail in the minds of most persons, relative to the 

 names of different tints. Few arc particularly attentive in scrutiniz- 

 ing the various shades of the standard or characteristic colours; and 

 fewer still take the pains of studying the inclination of one shade to- 

 wards its kindred tint, or the falling of the remote tints of the stan- 

 dard colour into its neighbouring hues. Hence, in minute descrip- 

 tive botany, perpetual confusion occurs between blues and purples, of 

 different intensity, yellow and orange, reds and red purples, browns 

 and greys, and greys and black. Some idea may be formed of the 

 difficulty on this subject by knowing, that Werner and Symes's enu- 

 meration of the most common colours or tints that appear in na- 

 ture, amount to one hundred and eight. 



With a view to illustrate as far as practicable without the tints, 

 this nomenclature, he now subjoins the animal, vegetable and mine- 

 ral substances which Werner and Symes adduced for this purpose— 

 at the end of the second volume, the tints themselves will be added. 



