INTRODUCTION. 



xvii 



so great a difference in the growths of two places in the same latitude. And many 

 other warm-sea-loving plants occur in the Isle of Man which are quite unknown on 

 the norfch-easb coast, as Bonnemaisonia asparagoides (Fig. 133), Callitliamnions plumula 

 and thuyoidewn (Figs. 254, 275), Naccaria Wiggii (Fig. 218), Chylocladia (now 

 Lomentarid) Jcaliformis (Fig. 146), Gnffitlisia corallina (Fig. 252), and who knows 

 how many etceteras, if one could but get at accurate information? 



A limited visit; to one locality goes but a small way towards an acquaintance with 

 its treasures; and it is to be wished that more was ascertained about that unusually 

 charming island, with its soft climate, blue sea, bad farming, bare-legged, begging 

 population, beautiful scenery, remarkable antiquities, and last, not least in love, its 

 exquisite sea-weed shores. 



Would that some one might take this hint! for if more efforts were made towards 

 announcing individual experiences on different coasts, a large amount of testimony 

 information would be secured, which at present dies out and is lost. 



A few words remain to be said about the descriptions of the Plates which follow; X 

 the most important being an assurance to the reader that he is secured from the 

 danger of meeting with serious errors, by the fact that private friendship has enabled 

 me to consult Dr. Harvey from first to last throughout, as also to make use of his 

 various works. Those works are intended for scientific or, certainly, advanced students, 

 and any one who will compare his descriptions with mine will discover that what I 

 have done — or rather what I have attempted to do — is to bring his scientific state- 

 ments within the range of general comprehension by such alterations of language as 

 might soften the technical difficulties which are such a stumbling-block to amateur 

 beginners. 



Should any one, from looking at these descriptions, desire to rise out of amateurship 

 into science, he will seek and find his proper food elsewhere. The books are open 

 for those who can understand them, and those will understand them who care 

 sufficiently to try, and will find the pursuit a charmed one. So that to have assisted 

 in whetting the appetite of any worthy disciple in favour of it would be a fact to 

 reflect upon with pleasure, and make the labour bestowed on these pages seem well 

 employed. And who can doubt that those who desire to take the higher flight, will 

 be all the better able to do so from having condescended to begin as children, and 

 work upwards by childish steps? 



They may laugh hereafter, perhaps, at ever having looked at a book which translates 

 famuli into hranclilets^ and ramelli into hraiiclileteens ; but it will be in the same way 

 that grown-up people smile at the spelling-book which enabled them to begin literature 

 by stories of one-syllabled words. By the time my amateur beginners have learnt 

 to know that ramelU, as hrancJileteens, are distinct from ramdi, as hrancldets — have 

 seen threads explained as filaments so often, that to forget what filaments mean is 

 impossible, with other similar lessons — they will look at the pages of Phycologias, 

 British and Foreign, with comparatively open eyes, and on their own heads will it 

 be if they do not persevere further! 



Moreover, it is believed that the plan here adopted, of arranging the sithjects of 

 observation in separate lines and in uniform order, will facilitate the necessary 

 comparison of species with species. Thus, at a glance, colour can be matched with 



c 



