CONFERVA CURTA. 



C. filamemis coefpitofis fimplicibus, fub-canilagineis, ereclis brevibus 

 utrinque attenuatis ; difiepimentis pellucidis parum contraftis ; ar- 



ticulis breviufculis. 



In the Sea, parafitical on Fuci, not unfrequent at Swanfea. 



THIS fmall fpecies, though it does not appear to have been heretofore noticed, 

 is frequently to be met with on the more at Swanfea, and I have reafon to 

 believe that it is far from rare in other parts of the kingdom. It grows para- 

 firically on Fuci, and forms roundifh tufts fo fhort and Miff that they may be 

 readily paffed over as the remaining flumps of a parafite, the greater part of 

 whofe filaments have been beaten off by the a£Hon of the waves. The color is 

 a brownifh olive ; the length, I believe, is feldom more than three or four lines. 

 The filaments are fimple ; towards the root they are very {lender, but become 

 thicker as they approach the middle, and then again taper flightly towards their 

 apices, which are rounded off and blunt. The diffepiments are pellucid, and 

 divide the filament into joints, whofe length does not much exceed their thick- 

 nefs. No fructification has been difcovered. 



C. curta differs from C. fucicola, with which alone it can be at all confounded 

 in the fubftance and color of the filaments : in the former they are rather of a 

 homey nature and of an olive-brown color ; the latter are remarkably flaccid and 

 the color is more of a muddy yellow ; the length and fhape of the filaments are 

 alfo materially different. 



In drying it adheres to both Glafs and Paper. 



A. C. curta, natural fize. 



B Ditto, magnified 3. 



C. Ditto, ditto 1. 



11 



