(128) 



the joints with dense whorls of three to four times dichotomous ramidi, 

 articulated like the stem and branches, w^hich are at length covered 

 with a dense velvety pile of short ramuli. Substance rather rigid, and 

 not very firmly adhering to paper in drying. Colour, " when fresh, a 

 dark full red," changing to a dull brown when dry. Favellse two- to 

 three -lobed, terminal on short branches, scarcely involucrate. Tetra- 

 spores attached to the inner side of dichotomous, involucral ramuli, 

 lateral on short stalks. 



Besides the above, Dr. Harvey describes what he considers may be 

 abnormal fructification or perhaps antheridia, consisting of " oval bodies 

 composed of bundles of excessively fine dichotomous filaments, contained 

 in involucres, similar to those occupied by tetraspores." — See Phyc. Brit. 

 Plate Ixvii, 



It is curious that the present species should have been noticed for the 

 first time as British on the Scotch shores, and that it has never been 

 met with since in this country perhaps ; the specimen collected then 

 may have been only a stray one, picked up on the beach, and the plant 

 after all not a native of Scotland. This seems the more likely, as we 

 have not heard of its occurrence on the eastern shores of England. 

 It seems, indeed, to prefer an ocean home, being mostly confined to the 

 south and west of England and Ireland, and we are not aware of its 

 occurrence even on the west of Scotland. 



In sti'ucture and fructification the jjreseut exactly agrees with the 

 other species of the genus, but the habit is so totally different that one 

 almost feels regret that it cannot be placed in a different genus. 



In habit, as Miss Giffbrd remarks, it somewhat resembles Cladostejihus 

 verticillatus, bxit in that the fructification and the colour, as well as the 

 structui'e of the ramuli, are quite different. 



The present species is by no means a favourite with collectors, except 

 for its rarity, its stiff" twig-like stems not being remarkable either 

 for brilliancy of colouring or symmetry of form. In this, however, we 

 choose to differ from most of our brethren, believing that variety is as 

 essential an ingredient of beauty as form or colour, and the almost 

 infinite variety in nature seems to keep us in countenance. 



The constant recurrence of the same tint, however beautiful, of the 

 same form, however symmetrical, would soon become tiresome, and of 

 course disagreeable ; an occasional mixture of plain colours and simple 

 forms is always desirable even to set off" to greater advantage the 

 brilliancy of colour and delicacy of form in their more distinguished 

 neighbours. 



The form simj:>UciJilnm we have ventured to consider in the light of a 

 variety, in accordance with the views of most algologists ; the differences 



