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XI. CalendariumPlantarummarinarum. By Datofon Turner, Efq. F. L. S. 



Read March 5, 1799. 



TN fubmitting to the Linnean Society a lift of the periods at which 

 ^ fome of the Britifh marine Algce produce their fruftification, it 

 may not perhaps be wholly unnecefiary to preface it by obferving, 

 that the habitation of many of thefe plants [at the bottom of the 

 ocean, remote from any fliore, where we are of neceffity piecluded 

 from all poffibility of tracing them through their feveral ftages of 

 growth, is certainly one of the greateft obftacles to our procuring a 

 clear and comprehenfuT knowledge of them. How far the difficul- 

 ties arifmg from this circumflance can ever be entirely removed, 

 time and experience muft alone determine ; but we have reafon to 

 entertain very fanguine hopes, as the beauty of this tribe has of late 

 years attracted many admirers, to whofe zeal and abilities marine 

 botany is much indebted ; and this Society may boaft of having 

 given to the world by far the moft valuable account ever written of 

 thefe plants. But much ftill remains to be done ; and it can be done 

 only by naturaliils refident upon the different parts of the coaft ac- 

 cuftoming themfelves to examine attentively the various fpecies in 

 their feveral gradations, and laying before the ^vorld the refult of 

 their inquiries. To ftimulate them to this, was one of my principal 

 objefts in bringing forward the prefent remarks ; for, as no Britifli 

 author has given us any thing like a complete lift of the times of 

 fruftification of the fubmerfed Alga;, thole naturalifts who are in 



the 



