58 



THE OCEAN. 



or stalks of others. Ptilota plumosa, for example, a 

 delicately-feathered species, of a pink or purplish 

 hue, is found to be parasitical on the common tan- 

 gle. It is justly considered one of the ornaments of 

 our southern shores, but becomes still finer as we 

 approach a more southern latitude. This must not 

 be confounded with another elegant little plant bear- 

 ing the same specific name, but belonging to a dif- 



Bryopsis Pltjmosa. 



ferent genus, Bryopsis plumosa. The tribe of which 

 the latter is a member is remarkable for its delicacy : 

 in the one now mentioned the main stem is very 

 slender, set with horizontally-spreading branches, 

 like a pine-tree, each of which is most elegantly fea- 

 thered. Its colour is a bright grass-green, and the 

 whole surface shines as if it were varnished. It is 



