EXPLORATORY NOTICES FOR AUGUST, 365 



the water their relics quicklj dry up without under- 

 going decomposition. In this case the matted threads 

 are soon bleached white in the sun, and forms a sort 

 of natural paper." This is sometimes called water- 

 flanrusl, and where a shallow pool has been dried up 

 spreads its white though flimsy sheet to a considerable 

 extent. 



The Fucales, or olive-brown Algae, are often of great 

 size, some of them surpassing in the length of their 

 fronds the tallest forest tree. By far the greater 

 number are found on tidal rocks, to which they are 

 firmly attached by a root or holdfast, or sometimes 

 anchor among loose pebbles. Though some grow in 

 deep water, they seem rather intended to float near 

 land, for which purpose they are furnished with air 

 vessels, which enables them to keep their long but 

 flaccid fronds in an erect position, the uppermost 

 branches floating on the surface of the water. The 

 reflux of the tide exposes them to the influence of the 

 sun and air at recurring intervals, when they seem 

 like strange stranded monsters, moving off their brown 

 leathery limbs with the first return of the briny wave. 

 The common Laminaria saccharina, from two to twelve 

 feet long, is a well known inhabitant of the British 

 coasts, on rocks between high and low water, forming 

 a cartilaginous, lanceolate, undivided frond. L. digi- 

 tata, with its leathery frond deeply divided into nume- 

 rous segments at the end of a long stalk, is also a 

 common object on the sea coast. 



The Iflwdospermece, or red Sea-weeds, are the most 

 numerous in species, but they never attain the size of 

 the brown Melanosperms. They flourish mostly in 

 deep water, and after storms are found scattered 



