1841.] r On Lichens. 893 



In the next family the Usnece are the Usnea florida and U. harhata, both 

 abounding not only in the Himalayas, but in all parts of India, and in 

 Ceylon, as well as in South America; where, according to Humboldt, the 

 Usnea harhata is employed as a substitute for the Roccella tinctoria. 



In the succeeding family, the Corniculariece, we have the Alectoria juhata^ 

 Ach., or Rockhair, (which is found in the Himalayas as well as in Europe,) 

 and is said by Linnaeus to supply the rein-deer with food in winter 

 when the snow is very deep upon the ground ; for this purpose the 

 Laplander cut down the trees, that the plant upon the topmost branches 

 may be accessible to this useful animal. — English Flora^ vol, v. p. 227. 



The last useful species mentioned in Hooker, is the 



Cladonia Bangiferina, Hoffur. 



This for the greater part of the year, and especially in winter, is the sup- 

 port of vast herds of rein-deer, wherein consists all the wealth of the 

 Laplanders. No vegetable, Linnaeus tells us, grows throughout Lapland in 

 such abundance as this, especially in woods of scattered pines, where 

 for very many miles together, the surface of the sterile soil is covered with 

 it as with snow. On the destruction of forests by fire, when no other plant 

 will find nutriment, this Lichen springs up and flourishes, and after a few 

 years, acquires its full size. Here the rein-deer are pastured, and whatever 

 may be the depth of snow during the long winters of that climate, these 

 creatures have the power of penetrating it and obtaining their neces- 

 sary food. Linnaeus has given a beautiful description of this Lichen, and of 

 these animals whose support it is, in the Flora Lapp. p. 332, but it is too 

 long for insertion in this place. — English Flora, vol. v. p. 235. 



It appears ( Ure's Dictionary of Arts, p. 53,^ that the latest researches on the 

 Lichens as objects of manufacture, are those of Westring of Stockholm. He 

 examined 150 species, among which he found several which might be ren- 

 dered useful. He recommends that the colouring matter should be extract- 

 ed in the places where they grow, which would save a vast expence in 

 curing, packing, carriage, and waste. He styles the colouring sub- 

 stance itself cutbear, persio or turnsole; and distributes the Lichens as 

 follows : [Ure applies to all the generic name oi Lichen. I have endeavoured 

 to supply the new nomenclature from Hooker.* H. C] 1st, Those which 

 left to themselves exposed to moderate heat and moisture, may be fixed 

 without a mordant upon silk or wool, such are the L. cinerea, {Urceolaria 

 dnera, Ach.) ; L. hcsmatonta ; L. ventosus, (Lecanora ventosa, Ach.) ; L. coralli- 

 nus, (Isidium corallinum, Ach.) ; L. Westringii, {Isidium Westringii, Ach.) ; L. 



* And hare marked those with a (*) which are incjigenous to, or have congerers, in the Himalyas. 



5 X 



