Extracted from Linn. Soo. Report, No. 369. 
Dr. A. B. Rendle, F.R.S., read tlie following appeal for contri¬ 
butions in aid:—• 
.‘‘Some of our British Botanists will remember the misfortune 
that overtook Monsieur Jules Cardot, the eminent French bryologist, 
early in the war. Driven by the German advance from his home at 
Charleville, with less than twenty-four hours’ notice, he had to 
abandon all his possessions and leave them to the enemy’s tender 
mercies. Able at last to return to Charleville he finds that the greater 
part of his property has been destroyed; his family furniture and 
possessions, his books and MSS. notes, his instruments, and a large 
portion of his collections, either ruined or disappeared. 
“ The one part of his belongings left practically intact is his 
mounted Herbarium of Mosses, consisting of above 10,000 species, 
represented by 30,000 or 40,000 specimens. 
“ The Herbarium is a valuable one, containing as it does the 
types of a large number of new species—those described by him 
jointly with F. Benauld, a large number from India and tropical 
West Africa, the materials on which are based his. Mousses de 
Madagascar, Sphaignes d’Europe, Reckerches Anatomiques sur les 
LeucobryacSes, Monograpliie des Fontinalacees, Diagnoses PiMmn- 
naires de Mousses Mexicaines, etc. 
“ It is M. Cardot's desire that his herbarium should find a 
permanent place in the Paris Museum of Natural History. Unfor¬ 
tunately, with bis present restricted means be is not in a position 
to make a gift of it to the nation; while, on the other hand, the 
funds at the command of the Museum authorities scarcely permit of 
its purchase at what would be an adequate value. The suggestion 
has been made that if the Museum authorities were able to find half 
the necessary amount, the remaining half might be raised, partly m 
this country, partly in America, among botanical friends and sym¬ 
pathisers, to enable the purchase to be made. 
“ The Museum authorities have signified their willingness to agree 
to such a scheme, and bryological friends in the United States have 
intimated their willingness to enter upon it—indeed, a proposal on 
exactly similar lines lias been made on their part to M. Cardot. An 
agreed price of 10,000 f. has been mentioned between the Museum and 
M Cardot; and the proposal to raise one-fourth of that amount 
in this country would at present rate of exchange entail a sum ot 
between £60 and £70.” 
Mr. II. N. Dixon, F.L.S., is acting as Treasurer of the fund, 
and contributions will be gladly received by him at 
17 St. Matthew’s Parade, 
Northampton. 
