PREFACE. IX 



and doubtful species which are contained in her rich col- 

 lections. I venture to mention in this place that in ad- 

 dition to her other labours of love in the service of 

 science, this talented lady has recently supplied to many 

 large public and private schools, in various parts of the 

 kingdom, sets of named specimens of British Sea-weeds 

 and Ferns, in the hope that she may thereby promote a 

 taste for those pursuits from which she herself has de- 

 rived so much pleasure. 



Both during the preparation of the work, and while it 

 has been passing through the press, my wife has con- 

 stantly helped me as an amanuensis, and with advice 

 and criticism ; and for the patience, perseverance, and 

 ability with which she has done so, I offer her my loving 

 thanks. 



I desire to add a few words " in memoriam " of Dr. 

 Harvey and of Mr. Lovell Ueeve. The recent death of 

 the former, at a comparatively early age, has robbed 

 botanical science of one of her most distinguished 

 votaries. His splendid works, more especially those 

 which had reference to marine Algse, deserve the 

 deepest gratitude of every student of phycology, and 

 will form for him a fitting and imperishable monument. 



It was at the request of Mr. Reeve, that this work 

 was undertaken, and he has died during its progress. 

 Both as an author and as a publisher he has left 

 science deeply his debtor. His labours in the former 

 capacity are well known and recognized; those in 

 the latter, though not so ambitious, were scarcely less 

 useful. He strove to divest scientific books of unneces- 



