BRITISH SEA-WEE D3. 
49 
■U* 
The popular 
names of some of 
the most beau- 
tiful objects in 
nature will be 
best understood 
by many of our 
readers, who too 
frequently pass 
by unheeded na- 
tural curiosities 
of deep interest, 
and suffer the 
familiarity of a 
subject to wean 
them from all 
Portion of a Filament magnified. notioilSof itS im- 
portance. Few, however, of those who visit the 
sea-shores come away without some relics; and, 
among the most varied and interesting of these 
may be mentioned the marine plants, which 
excite their admiration, though called by the un- 
dignified names of sea-weeds. The work under 
notice treats of these varied and wonderful 
productions in a scientific manner; and, be- 
sides accurately describing their general and 
botanical features, supplies us with very 
beautifully executed coloured engravings of 
* Phycolbgia Britannica: or, a History of British 
Sea-Weeds, containing coloured figures, generic and 
specific characters, synonymies, and descriptions of all 
the species of Algss inhabiting the shores of the British 
Islands. By William Henry Harvey, M.D., M.R.I. A. 
Keeper of the Herbarium of the University of Dublin. 
In three volumes, vol. i. London: Reeve, Brothers, 
King William- street, Strand. 1846. 
47 
Callithamnion gracillimum. 
BRITISH SEA-WEEDS.* 
the plants, and magnified specimens of parti- 
cular parts which illustrate the fructification. 
The part before us is the first of sixty, which 
are to complete three volumes; and which three 
volumes will, if the same rate of embellish- 
ment that characterises the first be continued, 
contain nearly four hundred plates. Nothing 
is more common than to see the persons who 
reside inland, load themselves home with " sea- 
weed" when they pay a visit to the coast. 
Many, indeed, make collections, which they 
save between the leaves of books; and nothing is 
wanting but a knowledge of their name, nature, 
properties, and general character, to give such 
collectors a true zest for the study of these 
submarine vegetables. The author of Plu/co- 
lo/jia Britannica has supplied these in a work, 
in every way fitted for the table of the drawing- 
room, or the shelves of the boudoir. To each 
coloured plate is appended a description with 
reference to authors who have mentioned it 
before, and such other particulars as can only 
be appreciated when read; and we shall afford 
an opportunity of doing this, by quoting the 
entire letter-press belonging to the fifth Plate, 
which is the representation of an extremely 
beautiful subject, of the natural size, and dis- 
sections of the plant very much magnified, a 
copy of which heads our article. 
" Sec. I\iionosi'i:miKyE. Fam. Ceramiece, 
" Plate V. — Callithamnion tl ra< i i.li- 
MTJM, Arj. 
u Gen. Cnvn. Frond rosy, or brownish 
red, filamentous; stem either opaque and cel- 
lular or translucent and jointed ; branches 
