PREFACE. 



XV 



subjects, of their being written in language 

 which would appear as designed rather to dis- 

 play the learning of the writer, than to state 

 the facts which such learning ought to convey \ 

 whilst, on the other hand, it would be more 

 desirable, as far as it is practicable, instead of 

 using scientific language and terms, to conde- 

 scend to the use of such as shall make the 

 meaning intelligible to the general reader. 



There is also another cause which has greatly 

 impeded the study of Natural History, namely, 

 the difficulty experienced in obtaining access 

 to the more expensive works. 



This objection, however, does not apply so 

 much to works on Botany, as many highly - 

 useful publications are attainable, and in a 

 very inexpensive form. This has, in all pro- 

 bability, induced many persons to follow so 

 fascinating a branch of Natural History, in 

 preference to any other. 



Latterly, the science of Algology has attracted 

 to its interesting pursuit numerous votaries, 

 not only from amongst those who reside along 

 the coasts of the kingdom, celebrated for the 

 production of Algae, those beautiful symbols 



