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to be regretted that the author has neglected to notice, by similar abbreviatons, the states, soils and seasons, in which the plants are found. This useful addition would have rendered his manual by far more useful in practice, and might have added something to Botanical geography, by the personal observations of the author. A few, (but very few indeed) geographical observations are however of fered through the work. For instance, it is mentioned that the Iris gracilis of Bigelow is common near New-Haven; that the Lysimacha quadrifolia is found there, with 2 to 6 leaves in a whorl; that the Zanthoxylum fraxinifolium was found both there and near Williams' College, but always with pistillate flowers only; that the Reseda luteola was found spontaneously near New-Haven by Dr. Ives; that the Sarracenia purpurea was found in the lakes of the Catskill mountains; that the Arum triphyllum is mostly diecious near Williams' College; and that the following species of Carex were found there by Professor Dewey, and near New-Haven by the author, Carex cespitosa, C. crinita, C. stipata, C. paniculata, C. scirpoides, C. festucacea, C. pedunculata, C. varia, C. tentaculata, C. lupulina, C. oligocarpa, C. folliculata, C. plantaginea, C. conoidea, C. granularis, C. pellita, C. lacustris, (and var gigantea) and C, vesicaria.

This manual is rich in vulgar names, many of which are peculiar to the NewEngland states, and therefore valuable. Several of them appear to be introduced for the first time to our notice; but as the greatest part are, by the author's own confession, taken from Hosack's catalogue, Phelp's catalogue, Bigelow's florula Bostoniensis, &c. and as the author has omitted to acquaint us with those he has taken directly from the vulgar, we are not enabled to give him the credit he probably deserves. Vulgar names are at all times a valuable appendage to classical synonomy, and indispensable in local botanical writings.

We have observed with pleasure, some interesting observations scattered through a work, which might be thought to preclude such auxiliary improvements, and we shall notice most of them, since they reflect credit on the author.

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Corydalis cucullaria. Colic weed. Those found near Williams' College are mostly hexandrous (meaning probably not diadelphous); they have also a two leaved bract, so near the calyx in the immature state, as to give the appearance of a four-leaved calyx.”

"Cistus canadensis. Rock Rose. Late in autumn this plant sends off curved ice crystals from near the root, of a very singular structure." We should like to know that structure.

"Spergula saginoides. Flower pentandrous. Persoon asks whether this is not a variety of Sagina procumbens. Professor Ives considers all the American species of Spergula and Sagina, as a natural assemblage of plants, which ought to be united in one genus.'

"Lactuca elongata. Tall lettuce. Dr. Bigelow calls this the Fire-weed, but the Fire-weed is a species of Senecio." It is the Senecio hieracifolius, see Pursh.

"Marchantia polymorpha. Brook liverwort. In the spring some of these species send up ovate anthers or buds on pellucid filaments from the disk of the Frond. Near the middle of the summer the umbrellas appear, bearing the fruit under the rays."

But while we commend what appears to deserve it, we feel compelled to blame what we consider incorrect; and therefore, we must express our surprise that Mr. E. should have omitted to distinguish by the letters L. W. Mx. Mg. and P. the species which have been described in the first instance by Linnæus, Wildenow, Michaux, Muhlenberg or Pursh, &c.; for by this unwarrantable omission (although a botanist will generally know the author of each species) students for whom the work is intended, will be unable to ascertain, unless with much trouble and the help of many books, who were the authors of each species. Let us hope they will not be led to believe that Mr. E. is the author of them!

Only three new species and three new varieties are introduced in this work, at least as such; a few more may be blended among the underived names, which we could not detect on perusal. They are,

Sp. 1. "Xylosteum solonis, page 26. Two flowers seated on a germ; berry double not distinct: leaves oblong ovate, villose. Found on the white mountains of New-Hampshire, by Dr. D. Solon, and communicated by Mr. C. H. Smith." This species is exceedingly like the X. villosum of Michaux, differing merely by having the fruits more connected as in the Mitchella repens.

Sp. 2. "Urtica whitlovi, p. 104. Albany flax. Leaves alternate, heart ovate, 3 nerved, upper ones opposite, panice forked, root tuberous. About 6 feet high, discovered near Albany by Mr. Ch. Whitlow." This species was described for the

first time in Mr. Green's Catalogue of the Plants of the State of New-York.

Sp. 3. "Hydnum chrysorhizon, p. 140. Paper Punk. Membranaceous, flat, spreading, stemless, root yellow filiform, extending along the grains of decaying timber. Discovered by Mr. Torrey." It must belong to the genus Odontium of Rafinesque: Odontia section of Per

soon.

Var. 1. "Anthoxanthum odoratum var. altissimum. Larger, and of a darker green: found by Dr. Ives."

Var. 2. "Hepatica triloba var. acuta. Calyx leaves acute, leaves 3 to 5 lobed acute. Perhaps this variety ought to constitute a new species. The specimen found by Professor Dewey, near Williams' College, are much firmer in their texture than the common kind, and differ materially in their general habit.

Var. 3. "Prunella pensylvanica, var. ovata and varlanceolata, two varieties with ovate and lanceolate leaves."

The author has introduced very few of the new species of Pursh, and other late writers; he has however adopted the two new species of Dr. Bigelow, the Iris gracilis and the Bunias edentula; but only one of the new species of Rafinesque, the Vicia mitchelli: On this occasion he has fallen into two singular mistakes. 1st. He asserts that this last plant was found last summer by Dr. Mitchill, and named so by C. S. Rafinesque, while it was sent by Dr. Mitchill to him in Philadelphia, in 1803, and described by him as such in 1814, in a pamphlet which bears the title of Precis des Descouvertes Somiologiques, &c. and in which 5 new genera and 40 new species of American plants are described. 2d. He gives to Mr. Rafinesque the title of an Italian naturalist. Of the title of a naturalist we believe Mr. R. will always be *proud, but he never dreamt of being an Italian, any more than the American citizens who travel and reside in various parts of Italy! If these were to be taken as a standard of Mr. E's accuracy, we are sorry to say that it would give us a very unfavourable opinion of it.

We shall endeavour to state some other errors scattered through this work; we presume they are in greater number than we have been able to detect on attentive perusal; but such as have fallen under our observation, will convey a general idea of their nature.

The Physalis alkekengi of Mr. E. must be some other species of Physalis, since that species does not grow in America; or it may be the cultivated European plant, which ought to have been stated;

VOL. I. NO. VI.

it is described with geminated, entire acute leaves, which does not answer to any American species we are acquainted with.

The Martynia proboscidea is not a native of the northern states; it has never been found above the Potomac, and even there it appears naturalized.

The Betula lenta var. lutea or yellow birch, is probably the B. excelsa of Wildenow and Pursh.

Mr. E. has omitted to notice as exotics the following plants, Rosmarinus officinalis, Dionea muscipula (native of NorthCarolina only), Hortensia Speciosa, Gor donia franklini, Ficus carica, &c.

He has two genera with double names! which is an unaccountable blunder, viz. Limnetis or Dactylis! and Bartonia or Centaurella! In the first instance, Dactylis is the real name, Limnetis being a different genus which he has called on the authority of Roth by the erroneous name of Spartina, a diminutive of Spartium. In the second instance, Bartonia is the real name, Centaurella being erroneous, as it is a diminutive of Centaurea.

He has not adopted the good genera of Chimaphila Pursh, and Hedeosma Persoon; but he has adopted the erroneous generic denomination of Orizopsis Michaux, derived from Oriza, which Rafinesque has changed in Dilepyrum since 1308, and Fluvialis Persoon, too much like an adjective, and previously named Carolinia by Wildenow and Decandolle : also Diphascum similar to Phascum, which must be changed in Diphas.

He has changed the name of Clitoria into Vexillaria, on the authority of Sir James Smith's criticism, who however did not venture on such a change; but as it happens that this new name is good, and that the genus Clitoria must be divided in two distinct genera, we shall adopt it for one of them.

Cymbidium corallorhizon is again introduced in the American Flora, after being left off by Pursh, and is distinguished from the C. odontorhizon, by its oblong acute and undivided lip; both are stated to have a white leafless sheathed stem.、 We apprehend there is here an oversight, or a new species is probably meant; we know of a third one unnoticed by Pursh, which has yellow stems, and a spotted elliptic obtuse crenate lip. We think those plants may form a peculiar genus very distinct from Cymbidium, to which the name of Cladorhiza may be given: our new species shall be called Cl. maculata.

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The Satyrium bracteatum of Wildenow SI

and Persoon, but omitted by Pursh, is adopted: this is probably right.

Two species of Vullisneria are noticed as follows. 1. V. Americana (Tape grass) leaves linear, peduncles straight. 2. V. Spiralis, peduncle of the fruit spiral, leaves linear with tapering base. We doubt of the identity or existence of this last, as stated; we should have liked to know on what authority it is admitted. Pursh has not found it, nor did we ever hear of it till now; if really distinct from the V. Americana, it will be probably another new species.

The Xylostroma gigantea (Leather punk or Oak leather) with parallel fibres, filling the interstices between the cleavages of decaying wood; is well known to us as different from the European species: many species are probably blended under the vulgar denomination of Punk; and they deserve to be studied.

Many errors of the press are besides to be noticed over the whole work; but for these the author is not to be blamed, since he declares that he lives at a distance from Albany. It is much to be regretted, that our printers should be so ignorant, and not yet in the habit of employing enlightened correctors, whence it arises that very few, if any, works on physical and mathematical sciences, are printed correctly in the United States.

The whole of this manual is written in our vernacular language, an example worthy of imitation in local works; but unfortunately the technical language of Botany is not yet thoroughly fixed with us, notwithstanding the labours of Martyn, Milne, Smith, Barton, and even Mr. Eaton, as they are in the Latin and French languages: many terms are arbitrary for want of a translator of paramount authority. Mr. E. has followed his own translation, but many of his terms appear rather awkward and at variance with the above authors; we shall not, however, undertake at present to criticise them, lest our attempt might be deemed preposterous.

Any endeavour to elucidate the subject of American cryptogamy, must be welcome to the lovers of Botany, while the subject remains so deeply involved in obscurity; they will therefore receive with pleasure the first attempt of Mr. E. who has begun to illustrate the whole subject, by giving us the genera nearly complete,

with one or two species of each genus. He acknowledges that he has compiled this part from various modern authors; the Mosses from Sprengel, the Li hens from Acharius, the Fungi from Turten, &c. but as the species amounting to 12, exclusive of ferns, have all been found in the New-England states, they become a new addition to our Flora: whence we consider that their enumeration may be deemed a valuable supplement to that little work, and regret it could not be more extended at present. But we hope, that in a future edition, such as the author appears to have in contemplation, he will not forget his promise to enumerate all the plants of the northern states, including the cryptogamous, and we invite him at the sanie time to correct the errors which it has been our duty to point out.

We had omitted to state, that in the preamble to this manual, and the notes occasionally interwoven, there is some additional and practical information for the student, but little that deserves to be recorded.

Upon the whole, we deem this compllation a practical and useful one (but by no means classical,) so far as it extends, making allowance for the unavoidable errors in works of this kind, when undertaken in haste by young botanists, not perfectly acquainted with the state of the science. We should, however, feel very unwilling to discourage similar attempts of the same author or any other, but should merely recommend them to acquaint themselves thoroughly with the laws, language, and situation of the science both at home and abroad, before they venture to publish their lucubrations and observations; and we ought to warn them against mistaking partial or superficial knowledge, for requisite attainment and needful science.

In particular reference to the author of this work, in which we are happy to perceive much zeal and knowledge, we advise him by all means to persevere in his worthy pursuits, but let him endeavour to acquire such additional information as may be requisite, in order to enable him to improve his future labours, and it would be more gratifying to perceive him hereafter directing them towards works of a original nature, or to the statement of facts and observations, rather than the compilation of names and phrases. C. S. R.

י.

W

ART. 6. MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES.
BY C. S. RAFINESQUE, ESQUIRE.

4. Dissertation on Water Snakes, Sea Snakes and Sea Serpents. THENEVER a singular phenomenon, or an extraordinary natural occurrence, happens to be observed in the U. S: whether spots in the Sun, huge fossil bones or sea serpents, a crowd of superficial writers hasten to offer us, instead of facts, their own ideas and conjectures on the subject, which prove, sometimes, more or less ingenious; but often wild, incorrect, or ridiculous. They are generally so much taken up by their own fancy, that they forget entirely to consult former writers of eminence on the same subjects, should they even happen to know of their existence; what idea are we to entertain of their attempts to explain those subjects, without availing themselves of the valuable writings of Herschell or La Place, Cuvier, or Pinkerton, &c.? in whose works they had been previously and often completely illustrated. Let us listen to a group of children attempting to reason and argue on the rising of the sun, an eclipse of the moon, on the economy of the bees, or on the structure of a whale, without asking any previous questions to their parents, and we shall find a great similarity between their thoughts and those of many of our speculative writers. They often contribute to render contemptible the subject of their inquiries, at least towards the vulgar, while it would otherwise become at all times deeply interesting; and should their crude speculations ever reach Europe, they will certainly afford very unfavourable specimens of our knowledge and attainments in sciences. These reflections have naturally suggested themselves to my mind on the present occasion.

The ancients gave the name of WaterSnakes and Sea-Snakes to many fishes of the Eel tribe, which bear an apparent likeness with land snakes, although they differ materially on examination, by having fins and gills, and neither lungs nor scales. Many land snakes are in the habit of going into the water, in pursuit of their food or to escape their enemies, and they have often been called Water Snakes when found in that element.

Real Water and Sea Snakes had been noticed at a very early period by navigators, in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Seas; but as they had not been described, exfinent naturalists had doubted their ex

istence, believing that eels or similar fishes had been mistaken for snakes.

Russel was perhaps the first writer who established their existence beyond a doubt, by describing and figuring many of them, in his splendid work on the snakes of the Coast of Coromandel. Schneider established for them his genus Hydrus, which wrong name has been with much propriety changed in Hydrophis. They have since been described in all the works on Erpetology, by Shaw, Latreille, Daudin, &c. and those last writers have divided them into four genera, Enhydris, Platurus, Pelamis, and Hydrophis: which form a peculiar tribe or natural family in the order of snakes, to which I have given the name of Platuria (Platurians, Flat tails or Water Snakes): they are completely distinguished from the land snakes, by having a compressed tail, which serves them as an oar and rudder, enabling them to swim with great swiftness, and from the fishes of the eel tribe, by having neither gills nor fins. They breathe through lungs, at remote periods, whence they generally live near the surface of the wa ter, like the animals of the whale tribe, They prey on fishes and sea animals, and some of them have venomous fangs. Many are known to come on land as tur tles, to deposit their eggs.

About fourteen species of Water Snakes have been described by the above authors; ten more are noticed in the travels of Peron to Australia or New-Holland, one of which was ten feet long; and lately several monstrous species have been seen near our shores. Many others appear to have been perceived by former travellers, and very probably a great variety are known to sailors. The knowledge of these animals is merely emerging into notice, and may yet be greatly improved. I shall not pretend to assert that they are as nu merous as land snakes, but it is very likely that one hundred species at least of this tribe exist in the waters of the ocean, lakes and rivers. Intelligent travellers, seamen and fishermen, will gradually make us acquainted with them: meantime, I shall endeavour to give a concise account of those we know, which may facilitate their future observations, and I shall arrange my labour in a sinoptical or der, concluding by some remarks on the Sea Serpents, which are merely Sea Snakes, of a very large sizę.

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FAMILY PLATURIA.

Water Snakes, with a compressed or depressed tail, and a scaly body. (No fins and no gills.)

I. Genus. ENHYDRIS Latreille, &c. (Hydrus Schneider. Coluber Pallas Daudin.) Body with transverse scaly plates underneath, mouth with sharp teeth but no fangs, tail compressed, with two rows of scaly plates underneath, and often one or two nails at the end.

1. Sp. Enhydris caspia Latr. Caspian Enhydris. Back cinereous olivaceous, with 4 rows of round black spots, 180 abdominal plates, 70 pair of caudal plates. Found by Pallas in the Caspian Sea, the Wolga, &c. 3 feet long.

2. Sp. Enhydris piscator Latr. Fishing Enhydris. Yellowish brown, with many small round black spots, in oblique rows and black line, 152 abdominal plates, and 24 pairs of caudal plates. Found by Russel in the swamps of India, 5 feet long.

3.Sp. Enhydris palustris Latr. Swamp Enhydris. Yellow brown, with rhomboidal brown spots, edged with black, tail whitish underneath, 140 abdominal plates, 49 pairs of caudal plates. Found by Russel in the swamps of India, 2 or 3 feet long.

4. Sp. Enhydris cerulea Latr. Blue Enhydris. Body blue, belly and tail yellow, with a blue line in the middle, 159 abdominal plates, 52 pairs of caudal plates. Found by Russel in the rivers of India, 2 feet long.

5. Sp. Enhydris rhyncops Latr. Beaked Enhydris. Head partly black, with a bill shaped snout, body dark gray, throat and belly yellowish, 144 abdominal plates, 59 pairs of caudal plates. Found in the East Indies by Russel, length four feet and half, perhaps a peculiar genus.

II. Genus. NATRIX Raf. (Enhydris Latr. Daud.) It differs from the foregoing, by having a broad head, (perhaps with fangs) a narrow neck, the abdomen carinated, &c.

1. Sp. Natrix dorsalis Raf. (Enhydris dorsalis Latr. Daud.) Dorsal Natrix. Dirty white, with a black sinuated dorsal stripe, 43 pairs of caudal plates. A very small species, about 1 foot long.

III. Genus. PLATURUS Latr. Daud. (Hydrus Schneider.) Differing from Enhydris, by having fangs, and the tail with two scales at the top.

1. Sp. Platurus fasciatus. Latr. (Hydrus colubrinus Schn.) Zoned Plature. Cinereous above, with broad brown zones, tail acute. Length 2 feet, from South America and the East Indies: many species are probably blended here,

2. Sp. Platurus laurenti Raf. Tail obtuse.

IV. Genus. HYDROPHIS Latr. Daud. (Hydrus Schneider.) Body cylindrical, with equal scales in parallel rows, mouth with fangs, tail compressed, scales as on the body.

1. Sp. Hydrophis chittul Latr. Chittul Hydrophis. White, with many zones of a light blue, tail obtuse, 306 scales in cach row of the body, 48 in the caudal rows. Found in India by Russel, length 3 feet, very poisonous as well as the following ; their bite kills in a few minutes.

2. Sp. Hydrophis cyanura Raf. (H. hoglin Latr.) Hoglin Hydrophis. Blue above, yellow underneath, s08 scales in each row of the body; tail entirely blue, with 48 scales in each row. Also found in the East Indies by Russel, length two feet and half.

V. Genus. PELAMIS Daud. (Hydrophis Latr. Hydrus Schneider.) Differing from Hydrophis, by having no fangs, and therefore being harmless.

1. Sp. Pelamis bicolor Daud. (Hydrophis platura Latr.) Bicolor Pelamis. Black above, white underneath, tail rounded at the end. Found by Forster in the Pacific Ocean.

2. Sp. Pelamis schneideri Raf. (Pelamis bicolor Var. Daud.) Schneiderian Pelamis. From the East Indies.

3. Sp. Pelamis fasciatus Daud. (Hydrophis lancicauda Latr.) Zoned Pelamis. Sallow, with transverse brown zones, 200 scales in each row of the body; tail, lanceolate acute, with 50 scales in each row. Described by Vosmaer and Russel, from the Indian Archipelago, & co

4. Sp. Pelamis marginatus Raf. (Hydrophis Shootur Latr.) Shootur Pelamis. Blue, scales slightly edged with yellow, many narrow transverse yellow stripes on the back: very faint posteriorly, 332 scales in the rows of the body; tail lanceolate, with 40 scales in each row. Found by Russel in the swamps of India, perhaps an Hydrophis.

5. Sp. Pelamis fuscatus Raf. Brown Pelamis. Entirely of an olivaceous brown, scales very small, tail obtuse. I have observed it in the Mediterranean, near the shores of Sicily, where it is called Serpedemari (Sea Snake,) along with many real fishes: length 2 feet.

VI. Genus. OPHINECTES Raf. Dif

fering from Pelamis by having a compressed body and a carinated or angular abdomen.-I arrange in this new genus, all the Sea Snakes, mentioned in Peron's Travels; they were all found on the western and southern shores of Australia or

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