THE STUDY OF ALG^E IN HIGH SCHOOLS. 63 



complicated than in the lower Algae, by tetragonidia and by carpo- 

 spores. 



Almost all the plants of this group are sea-weeds. They are in 

 general of smaller size than the Brown Alga?. Their delicate struc- 

 ture, graceful shape and bright red or purple coloring make them 

 objects of great beauty. 



PorpJiyra. [Greek porphyr a, purple). 



In a walk along the seashore at low tide, one generally observes 

 numbers of these plants lying on the beach faded, wilted, shapeless, 

 anything but beautiful in appearance. As ihe tide rises one sees 

 that they are attached by the edge to rocks and pebbles, and that they 

 form wide, purplish-red sheets which float upwards in the water, look- 

 ing like irregularly shaped pieces of bright purple silk. Microscopic 

 study of the frond shows it to be made up of a single layer of cells. 

 This plant forms the purple laver sometimes used in England and 

 several other countries for food. 



To a limited number and at a small cost I can supply specimens 

 for the museum or laboratory preserved in formalin of most of the 

 plants named in the above descriptions. These may be used during the 

 winter months. But the teacher is advised, whenever it is possible, 

 to collect her own material and to make the children understand that 

 Algae are common plants growing around them on every side. I shall 

 be glad to name specimens (either dried on cards or preserved in small 

 vials containing a one per cent, solution of formalin) sent me by 

 teachers, and if desired, will describe these in future papers in this 

 magazine. Full notes describing habitat, color, shape, size, etc., 

 should be sent with each specimen. 



In following papers in this series much use will be made of illus- 

 trations. The plants named in this article, with the exception of 

 Nereocystis, will be found pictured in most botanical text-books. 

 Some of the best of these are : Bessey, Botany for High Schools and 

 Colleges; Bennett and Murray, A Hand-book of Cryptoganic Botany; 

 Vines, A Students' Text-book of Botany; Curtis, A Text-book of 

 General Botany; Atkinson, Elementary Botany; Strasburger, a Text- 

 Book of Botany. (Translated by Porter.) 



A "Night-blooming Cereus " [Phyllocactus sp.) has played the 

 freak on Twenty-eighth street, N. W. , Washington, D. C, by detain- 

 ing the opening of three of its blossoms till the coming of broad day- 

 light. — E. L. Morris^ Washington^ D. C. 



