THE

EDINBURGH ENCYCLOPÆDIA;

CONDUCTED BY

DAVID BREWSTER, LL. D.

F. R. S. LOND. AND EDIN. AND M. R. I. A.

་

CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF PARIS, AND OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF
PRUSSIA; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SWEDISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES; OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF SCIENCES OF DENMARK; OF
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF GOTTINGEN, AND OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF MODENA; HONORARY ASSOCIATE OF THE
ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF LYONS; ASSOCIATE OF THE SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS; MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF THE AN-
TIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND; OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, AND OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON; OF THE
AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY; HONORARY MEMBER OF THE LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, OF THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK; OF THE LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF UTRECHT; OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY OF CAMBRIDGE; OF THE LITERARY AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY OF PERTH; OF THE NORTHERN INSTITUTION, AND OF
THE ROYAL MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL SOCIETIES OF EDINBURGH; OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA; OF
THE SOCIETY OF THE FRIENDS OF NATURAL HISTORY OF BERLIN; OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF FRANKFORT; OF THE
PHILOSOPHICAL AND LITERARY SOCIETY OF LEEDS, OF THE ROYAL GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CORNWALL, AND OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY OF YORK.

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF

GENTLEMEN EMINENT IN SCIENCE AND LITERATURE.

IN EIGHTEEN VOLUMES.

VOLUME X.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED FOR WILLIAM BLACKWOOD;

AND JOHN WAUGH, EDINBURGH; JOHN MURRAY; BALDWIN & CRADOCK;
J. M. RICHARDSON, LONDON; AND THE OTHER PROPRIETORS.

M.DCCC.XXX.

THE

EDINBURGH ENCYCLOPÆDIA.

FUCI.

Paci. THE Fuci constitute a tribe of plants commonly included, along with Ulvæ and Marine Confervæ, under the more general title of Submersed Algæ, or Thalassiophyta, (from taxacoios marine, and ourov a plant), and well known in this country by the popular name of Sea Weeds, (a familiar appellation which we shall not scruple to employ). In Scotland, the name wrack (probably from the French varec) is often applied to those fuci which are cut on the shores for the manufacture of kelp. In the Sexual System, the fuci form part of the third order, Algæ, of the last class Cryptogamia; an order in which Linnæus included Jungermannia, and the other genera now denominated Hepatice. In the system of Tournefort, they form part of the second section, Planta marinæ, &c. of the 17th class, Asperma vulgo habita. The word fucus, (Puxas), which means a paint, may be supposed to allude to the quality possessed by some of the small reddish species, of affording a sort of rouge.

*

described. In general appearance, some fuci resemble
filices, and others musci: F. membranaceus, (Turn.
t. 158), and F. Woodwardia, (Ner. Brit. p. 13, t. 6),
are very like ferns of the genus Woodwardia; and the
frond of F. scalpelliformis, (Turn. t. 174), has a great
similarity to some mosses of the genus Fissidens.

With the animal kingdom, sea-weeds are connected
by F. tomentosus, and F. bursa, (Turn. t. 135, 6,)
both of which resemble sponges in imbibing water,
and giving it out on being pressed; and also in emit
ting a peculiar disagreeable odour a few hours af
ter being taken from the sea. F. bursa, indeed, is
classed, both by Linnæus and Pallas, as a zoophyte.
F. simpliciusculus of Turner, (t. 175), and F. lycopo-
dium, (t. 199), approach very near to that class of
beings; but, of all others, a small caulerpa, found by
Mr Brown in King George's Sound, attached to my-
tili, and lately figured by Turner, under the title of
F. peniculus, (t. 228), forms a link that most close-
ly unites sea-weeds to the animal kingdom.

It is not easy to class the thalassiophytes with any of the families of land plants. In the most recent syste matic works, they are placed after the Tremella, with which they are connected by the Ulvæ. To the Lichenes, which follow them, they are more closely allied: So great is the affinity of one little species, Fucus pygmæus, that in the Flora Danica it is described by the name of Lichen confinis, and in the Methodus Lichenum of Dr Acharius, as a Stereocaulon, The general resemblance between the rein-deer lichen and two plants figured by Mr Turner, in his History of Fuci, F. viscidus, t. 119, and F. amphibius, t. 109, is striking; and the ramuli of F. Chemnitzia, (t. 200), greatly resemble the shields of Parmelia perforata eleit may be noticed, that four different species of seavated on peduncles. If more illustration be wanting, meed charity to lichens, received the trivial name of liIn some of the fuci, other striking resemblances to the parts of fructification in some fuci. He fell into a certain land plants may be traced; but these are of mistake similar to that which long prevailed concernno importance towards their classification. To creep- ing the seeds of ferns and mosses; in considering as known by the title of Caulerpæ, to be afterwards seeds. The opinions of Reaumur seem to have been ing land plants, they are allied by a curious family, seeds what are truly capsules, or tubercles, containing Excellently figured in Lightfoot's Flora Scotica, p. 964, t. 32 (The first time that any species of fucus is mentioned, a good

If it is a difficult task to distinguish and arrange the vegetable productions of the surface of the earth, which can be examined at all seasons, the difficulty is evidently greatly increased in regard to marine plants. In these last the organization is more simple, and consequently they exhibit fewer distinctive characters; and their place of growth almost precludes the pos sibility of watching their progress and reproduction. Those best able to delineate their characters are often situated at a distance, and must decribe from the examination of specimens not always judiciously selected by others; frequently from such as are torn from the rocks, and thrown ashore in storms, when the root or means of attachment is generally wanting.

› chenoides.

Egure of it is, in general, referred to).

VOL. X. PART I.

Fuci.

The older botanists, such as Clusius, the Bauhins, History. Barrelier, and Morison, contented themselves with giving very short descriptions, or a few figures of sea plants. About the year 1711, Reaumur first examined Reaumur.