EXPLOEATOEY NOTICES FOE AUGUST. 



THEY who study, in detail, the Sea Weeds, now so 

 profusely scattered upon the sea shore, must consult 

 the admirable Algoc Britannicce of Dr. GBEYILLE, and 

 the beautiful figures of the English Botany, so neces- 

 sary in examining this exceedingly intricate tribe. 

 The Fucales, or Sea "Weeds, have been formed into 

 three sections Fucince, Florinte, and TTlvince. Of the 

 two former, Professor BTJRKETT has observed, that 

 " the British seas afford examples of most of the types 

 of these two very extensive sections, which, though 

 imtimately allied, have been, from the colour of the 

 fronds, distinguished into two groups, the Fiorina 

 and the true Fucince : the first of which are of a mem- 

 branaceous or cartilaginous structure, and seldom 

 change much in drying. The second, or true Fucince, 

 are more or less densely fibrous, and mostly become 

 of a dingy black when dried. In the fresh state, 

 likewise, the Florince have showy pink or purple 

 fronds, the sporidia being also purple, while in the 

 Fucincs the fronds are of an olive green, and the 

 sporidia black."* 



Dr. W. H. HABYEY, in his Manual of the British 

 Marine Alga, has arranged them in three divisions, 

 according to their colour. I. Melanospermece or Fu- 

 cales plants of an olive-green or olive-brown colour. 

 II. Rhodospermece or Ceramiales plants rosy-red or 



* Burnett's Botany, p. 107. 



