NOTICES BY THE PRESS 
[From the New York Journal of Commerce, Dec. 27, 1850.] 
Durant’s Algas and Corallines of the Bay and Harbor of 
New York. Geo. P. Putnam, 155 Broadway. 
No collection of the submersed plants that vegetate in our waters, 
has ever been made at all approaching to the perfection of one just 
exhibited to us by Mr. Charles F. Durant, of Jersey City. It is con¬ 
tained in a large quarto volume, which comprises a thorough treatise 
on. Algology, illustrated with specimens of more than two hundred 
species of algae and corallines, collected and prepared by Mr. Durant 
himself. The illustrations are not pictorial, but natural specimens, 
exhibited in relief on the blank page. This is the first work on Al¬ 
gology ever published in this country, and, it is believed, the only one 
in the world wherein the science is illustrated by natural specimens. 
As yet only one copy of this is completed, and that is intended as a 
present to the New York Typographical Society. A few volumes 
will, however, be deposited at the bookstore of Mr. Putnam, for the 
examination of the curious, and for sale. The whole edition will con¬ 
sist ot fifty copies only, and the great labor of collecting and expense 
of preparation, render it improbable that a second will be printed. 
We learn from the introduction to his work, that Mr. Durant has 
waded at least a thousand miles in the waters of New York Bay to 
procure these specimens, and has expended upwards of two thousand 
hours in their preparation. They are remarkably beautiful, and the 
extreme delicacy of some of them requires a magnifying glass for the 
development of their formation. 
[From the New York Evening Post, Dec. 28, 1850.] 
Sea-Flags, &c., of New York Bay. —It has often been the 
practice of those who hunt the sea coast in summer to make collec¬ 
tion of sea-mosses and sea-flags, which being pasted on the pages of 
an herbarium, make a very striking figure, both as respects beauty of 
form and color. A New Yorker, C. F. Durant, has lately occupied 
himself in making a regular collection of all the plants of this class 
found in New York Bay—reducing them to a scientific classification, 
and accompanying them with letter press descriptions. 
Fifty copies of the work have been struck off with the title of— 
“ Algjs and Corallines of the Bay and Harbor of New York: 
Illustrated with Natural Types.” The work is on sale at Putnam’s. 
The specimens given, number about two hundred, and some of them 
are new to naturalists. For the last two years Mr. Durant, during 
his leisure hours, has led a sort of amphibious life, paddling and wa¬ 
ding, like a pelican, among the shallows, in search of the beautiful 
plants described in this book, w-hich root themselves on the rocks, or 
on sea-weeds of the larger kind. 
Mr. Durant, in his preface, questions the vegetable origin of these 
supposed plants, and seems inclined to rank them with the zoophytes, 
or that class of objects in natural history in which communities of in¬ 
sects, living in connected habitations, assume a near resemblance to 
the growths of the vegetable world. This, however, is a point for 
naturalists to settle. 
[From the New York Tribune, Dec. 28, 1850.] 
Curiosities of New York Bay and Harbor. —We have exa¬ 
mined a curious and beautiful work by Mr. C. F. Durant, a few 
copies of which are issued by G. P. Putnam, consisting of a rich col¬ 
lection of Marine Plants, Algm and Corallines, made by Mr. Durant, 
on personal explorations of the waters in this vicinity. The speci¬ 
mens are accompanied with letter press descriptions, giving a com¬ 
plete account of their localities and habits, and furnishing all requisite 
information for the use of students. It would form an invaluable 
addition to the cabinets of the curious, or an exquisite ornament for 
the drawing-room. 
[From the New York Herald, Dec. 29, 1850.] 
Algje and Corallines of the Bay and Harbor of New York: 
Illustrated with Natural Types—by C. F. Durant : New York, 
George P. Putnam. 
Mr. Durant has entered upon a new-field of science, and has brought 
his labors to such excellent results, that we are gratified to call atten¬ 
tion to his admirable wmrk. The title of it indicates that it is of an 
unique character, as the illustrations are dried specimens of sea plants, 
beautifully preserved, in explanation of the letter press of the book. 
In this country we have only two or three persons who have contribu¬ 
ted anything valuable to this department of science, in which the micro¬ 
scope is of such essential set vice in determining the characteristics of 
a very minute, but most interesting, part of creation. 
We are happy to find that Mr. Durant has done so essential a 
service to science. Prof. Bailey, of West Point, has done much for 
the credit of the country in examining and adding to the nomenclature 
of Lhrenberg, with respect to the vast field of minute zoologv; and 
we think that Mr. Durant is in a fair way of giving us. eventually, 
something more satisfactory than science yet enjoys, with regard to 
that point of creation that lies between animal and vegetable life. 
We have little doubt that the organization of many of the plants in 
this collection is only perfected by the presence of animal life; and 
the instances we have seen of budding animalculte convince us that 
further researches will lead to some valuable additions to human know¬ 
ledge. Such a collection as this of Mr. Durant’s is well calculated to 
lead investigation to some settled point, beyond the region of contro¬ 
versy, and eventually to give a higher sense of the omnipotence and 
omnipresence of the Creator, than vet affect the sensations of man¬ 
kind. We believe that the stellar worlds will never afford humanity 
grounds so satisfactory for investigation, as the minute and almost un¬ 
seen regions of animal and vegetable existence. 
The mind is filled with wonder at the newness of the phenomena 
detected by means of the microscope. The ciliary organs of what are 
now called sea plants, and of many species of animalcules, in them¬ 
selves furnish a theme for speculation, and a mystery yet to be solved. 
If vegetable life is only the type and symbol of animal existence, sci¬ 
ence will probably be able to detect the fact; but our belief is, that it 
will soon be found that there are plants with animal organizations, 
and that these are existing among the alga*. 
Our purpose, however, is to thank Mr. Durant for his labors. 
He has set. .an example to lovers of nature, in so practical a way that 
we shall expect to find ladies and gentlemen of leisure following in 
his steps, and making collections on our sea coast. 'I’he trade price 
of his work is such that he cannot be repaid for his labor; but he will 
have the credit of having made the first book on the subject, in which 
nature herself has furnished the illustrations. 
We are also happy to add, that the book which we have noticed, 
is the only copy which has been completed, and that it has been pre¬ 
sented by the author to the New York Typographical Society, at 
whose rooms the lovers of science may be able to examine it. We 
do not know when we have seen a more admirable specimen of in¬ 
genuity and scientific industry. 
[From the Nevj York Herald, Dec. 31, 1850.] 
ALGiE AND CORALLINES OF NEW YORK. 
To the Editor cf the New York Herald : 
In your notice in yesterday’s paper, of C. F. Durant’s “ Algae 
and Corallines of the Bay and Harbor of New York,” you say that he 
“ will have the credit of having made the first book on this subject, 
in which nature herself has furnished the illustrations.” Knowing 
your desire to be corrected when in error, in regard to any subject in 
which the public are interested, 1 have taken the liberty to set you 
right on this subject. Mr. Henry M. Whitney, now editor of the 
Polynesian, (Sandwich Islands newspaper) is the one, in my opin¬ 
ion, who produced the first work on this subject, about three years 
since. His edition (only 75 copies) met with a ready sale. 
My design in sending this communication, has not been to lessen 
the merits of Mr. Durant’s book, for the production of which, he is 
worthy the highest praise—but simply to do justice to one who is far 
away, and who has many friends in our midst. 
AN OLD SUBSCRIBER. 
[From the New York Herald, Jan. 1, 1851.] 
To the Editor of the New York Herald: 
Your correspondent, in Tuesday’s paper, is mistaken in regard to 
the character and purport of the two works referred to. Mr. Whit¬ 
ney’s book was merely a collection of sea plants, comprising about a 
dozen species—not exceeding that number—entirely without classifi¬ 
cation or name to a single plant. The specimens w'ere very beautiful, 
and gave much pleasure to the undersigned, and to others who were 
so fortunate as to procure a copy. Similar books, containing collec- 
lections of sea plants, and some of them having the plants labelled or 
named—not classed—have been compiled by several persons, both in 
this country and in Europe. Mr. Durant’s work is entirely different: 
it is a thorough treatise on the science of Algology, in which the natu¬ 
ral specimens are illustrative of the text. An examination of the work 
will show your correspondent that the work is explained by the title 
<• Algse and Corallines of the Bay and Harbor of New Yoi k, illustrated 
with natural tvpes ” Your able notice of Mr. Durant’s book, in the 
Herald of the 29th ultimo, evinces a familiarity with that department 
of natuial history, so scientifically treated by that author; and you 
were correct in saying that Mr. Durant is the first author in any coun¬ 
try to publish a treatise and classification on the subject, in which 
I nature herself has furnished the illustrations. B« 
