30 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
tion of the whole amount of human knowledge on this 
subject.* 
At the decease of Mr. Schweinitz, the whole of his 
rich collection passed, by bequest, into the possession of 
this institution. 
Independent of the fungi and other cryptogamous 
specimens, not yet arranged, or even fully examined 
since their arrival, the herbarium thus bequeathed to the 
Academy by our deceased fellow member, contains about 
twenty-three thousand species of plants, either collected 
by himself, or procured through the agency of his numer¬ 
ous and valuable correspondents. Among the latter, 
the examination has shown that many names, high in 
science, are included. 
Of European plants, many were furnished by Dr. 
Schwaegrichen, of Liepsic, author of the Prodromus 
Historic Muscorum Hepaticorum , and already men¬ 
tioned as the editor of one of Mr. Schweinitz’ publica¬ 
tions; others, by Dr. Steudel, author of the JYomen- 
clntor Botanicus ; some were obtained from his attentive 
and valued correspondent Dr. Zeyher, and others from 
the well known naturalist, M. Brongniart, of Paris. 
From M. Ledebour author of the Flora Altaica , Mr. 
Schweinitz received most valuable contributions of Al¬ 
taian and Siberian plants, originally discovered by that 
traveller in his Asiatic journies, and described in the 
work just mentioned. From Dr. Wallick, superinten¬ 
dent of the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, and editor of an 
* The whole number of species at present known, has been estimated at 
60 , 000 . 
