ADVERTISEMENT.
IN the Introduction to my “ Manual of the British Algee,” published
on the eve of my last voyage to the Cape of Good Hope,
I stated the strong wish that I felt of accompanying the descriptions
in that little work by plates, illustrative at least of the
genera, and apologised for their omission by the briefness of my
stay in Europe. Since my final return home I have been frequently
apphed to, by persons interested in marine botany, to
fulfil in some way the promise then partly held out, either by
publishing a new, enlarged, and filustrated edition of the “ Manual,”
or a new work on the same subject, and on an extended
plan. After some consideration I have preferred the latter course,
and undertaken the present Work, in which it is intended first
to give coloured figures, accompanied by detailed descriptions, of
every British species of Marine Algae or Sea-weed; and, on the
completion of this' portion of the work, to add to the last volume
a general Introduction to Marine Botany, and a systematic synopsis
of the British Marine Elora.
The recent publication of Mr. tlassall’s ‘ History of the British
Freshwater Algsc,’ in which he has given figures of all the species
known to him, affords me an opportunity of limiting my attention
to the marine algae, which are so much more attractive to
the generality of students and collectors, and thus enables me to
reduce the number of plates and the consequent expense of the
work very considerably.—I also propose to omit the D e s m id ie a :