EXPERIMENTS ON THE COLORIFIC PROPERTIES OF LICHENS. 27 
connection with the once celebrated nomenclature of Werner), and 
in many cases I have added to my own nomenclature what appeared 
to me to be its equivalent in Werner’s system. I have not deemed 
it necessary, for present purposes, to follow Westring’s example and 
give specimens of the colours obtained. The fugitive* character, of 
at least many, of the Lichen-colouring matters renders it doubtful 
whether, for any purposes, such a series of samples can give an 
adequate idea of their brilliancy. 
With a view further to secure a fixed standard of comparison — 
to obtain authenticity and uniformity of nomenclature in the 
Lichens operated on, I have used as the basis of my experiments in 
great measure the specimens contained in the published fasciculi of 
Mougeot and Nestler (Vosges district of France, published 
between 1810 and 1850), and of Schaerer (Switzerland, pub- 
lished between 1823 and 1852). These specimens, it is to be 
observed, are therefore comparatively old. But I have occa- 
sionally made parallel series of experiments on fresh Lichens in 
their own places of growth, with, on the whole, similar results. 
Thus, while travelling in New Zealand in 1861 — with a view to 
test their comparative colorific capabilities — I submitted to ex- 
periment on the small scale 15 Otago lichens from various localities 
in that province, belonging to the following cosmopolite species, 
on British and European specimens whereof I had, in former 
years, similarly experimented at home, viz., Lecanora parelia , 
Parmelia saxatilis , P. perlata , and P. perforata. The testing process 
here was simple ammoniacal maceration, but under disadvantageous 
conditions. The experiments were conducted in small corked 
phials ; due access of oxygen was thus prevented; and without free 
access of this gas — as contained in atmospheric air — the full 
development of colour cannot occur. Nevertheless, within generally 
two or three days, colours were obtained of similar kind and rich- 
ness to those procured from the same species of Lichens at home.f 
I may add that other experimentalists, operating in the same 
simple and rudimentary way in other countries, appear to have ob- 
# This may be judged of by an inspection of the suites of Illustrations of 
Lichen-dyes contained in the Museums of Economic Botany of Edinburgh or 
Kew, or the Museum of Science and Art, Edinburgh. 
t The suite of colour-specimens so manufactured — with a parallel series of 
British samples — under the designation of “ Illustrations of Lichen-dyes,” 
was handed over to the New Zealand Exhibition of 1865 at Dunedin (Sect. 1, 
Class 4). My object was to assist in stimulating the colonists to devote 
some attention to the development of the industrial resources of their 
adopted country — to the utilization of the vegetable products of their own 
province. I was strongly of opinion, moreover, that such a Colonial Ex- 
hibition at so early a stage in the history of the colony was calculated to be 
of immense benefit in hastening and helping its substantial prosperity. It 
was with pleasure, therefore that I further contributed to the said Exhibi- 
tion, suites of 
I. Fibres, which might be substituted for current materials in the manu- 
facture of paper, cordage, carpeting, or other textile fabrics ; and 
II. Dyes produced from the common native weeds of Scotland. 
