6 SEA MOSS£S. 



more likely to know it, when you see it for the first 

 time. In making descriptions of the plants, I shall 

 make use of technical terms, only when common 

 terms cannot be found to answer ; or when, without 

 the technical words, I should have to make circumlocu- 

 tions which would be burdensome both to you and 

 to me. The few words of this kind, which I shall be 

 obliged to use, and which are not defined in the 

 dictionary, will be found in a Glossary at the end of 

 this volume. 



I am aware, that there is a popular prejudice 

 against the use of any other than the common names 

 for plants and animals. People think it is an affecta- 

 tion of learning, a very silly pedantry, for these 

 naturalists to go about and speak of the birds, and 

 flowers, and ferns, and call them by such outlandish 

 "jaw breaking" names, as they do. But I must 

 bespeak your favor, to put away this prejudice, at least 

 in respect to the " Sea Mosses." If you study these 

 plants at all scientifically, you will be obliged to learn 

 their scientific names, and, for the best of all reasons, 

 because almost all of them have no other. A few like 

 the "Dulse," Rlwdymcnia palmata ; " Rockweed," 

 luicus nodosus and F. vesiculosus ; "Irish Moss," 

 Chondrus crispus ; and "Devil's Aprons" or "Kelp" 

 Lami?iaria ; have common or popular names. But 



