435 
Fucus vesiculosus during the winter months ; and in Gothland it is commonly 
given to pigs. Fucus serratus also, and Chorda Filum, constitute a part of 
the fodder upon which the cattle are supported in Norway. 
“ In medicine we are not altogether unindebted to the Algae. The Gigartina 
helminthocorton, or Corsican Moss, as it is frequently called, is a native of the 
Mediterranean, and held once a considerable reputation as a vermifuge. The 
most important medical use, however (omitting minor ones), derived from 
sea- weeds, is through the medium of Iodine, which may be obtained either 
from the plants themselves, or from kelp. French kelp, according to Sir 
Humphrey Davy, yields more Iodine than British ; and, from some recent ex- 
periments made at the Cape of Good Hope by M. Ecklon, Laminaria bucci- 
nalis is found to contain more than any European Algee. Iodine is known to 
be a powerful remedy in cases of goitre. The burnt spunge formerly adminis- 
tered in similar cases, probably owed its efficacy to the Iodine it contained ; 
and it is also a very curious fact, that the stems of a sea- weed are sold in the 
shops, and chewed by the inhabitants in South America, wherever goitre is 
prevalent, for the same purpose. This remedy is termed by them Palo Coto 
(literally, goitre-stick) ; and, from the fragments placed in my hands by my 
friend Dr. Gillies, to whom I am indebted for this information, the plant 
certainly belongs to the order Laminariese, and is probably a species of Lami- 
naria. 
“ Were the Algae neither * really serviceable either in supplying the wants 
or in administering to the comforts of mankind’ in any other respect, their 
character would be redeemed by their usefulness in the arts ; and it is highly 
probable that we shall find ourselves eventually infinitely more indebted to 
them. One species (and I regret to say that it is not a British one) is inva- 
luable as a glue and varnish to the Chinese. This is the Gracilaria tenax, 
the Fucus tenax of Turner’s Historia Fucorum. Though a small plant, the 
quantity annually imported at Canton from the provinces of Fokien andTche- 
kiang is stated by Mr. Turner to be about 27,0001bs. It is sold at Canton 
for 6d. or 8d. per pound, and is used for the purposes to which we apply 
glue and gum-arabic. The Chinese employ it chiefly in the manufacture of 
lanterns, to strengthen or varnish the paper, and sometimes to thicken or give 
a gloss to silks or gauze. In addition to the above account, the substance 
of which I have extracted from Mr. Turner’s work, Mr. Neill remarks that 
it ‘ seems probable that tliis is the principal ingredient in the celebrated 
gummy matter called Chin-chon, or Hai-tsai, in China and Japan. Win- 
dows made merely of slips of Bamboo, crossed diagonally, have frequently 
their lozenge- shaped interstices wholly filled with the transparent gluten of 
the Hai-tsai.’ 
“ On the southern and western coast of Ireland, our own Chondrus crispus 
is converted into size, for the use of house-painters, &c. ; and, if I be net er- 
roneously informed, is also considered as a culinary article, and enters into the 
composition of blanc-mange, as well as other dishes. In the manufacture of 
kelp, however, for the use of the glass-maker and soap-boiler, it is that the 
Algae take their place among the most useful vegetables. Tlie species most 
valued for this purpose are, Fucus vesiculosus, nodosus, and serratus. Lamina- 
ria digitata and bulbosa, Himanthalia lorea, and Chorda Filum.” 
I am extremely obliged to Dr. GreviUe for the following list of the genera 
of Algae, which although it does not indicate the synonyms of the numerous 
§§, gives a more extensive view of the classification of the genera than any list 
hitherto published. The few names in brackets have been added by myself. 
