FRESHWATER WEEDS. 177 



collection, and were mortified to find that they changed 

 their brilliant colour for a pale sage green. There is a 

 violet-scented Chroopelus (C. jolithus), of a purplish-red 

 colour, appearing as a coating on rocks and stones. A 

 curious superstition attaches to this Alga in Wales. It 

 grows on the stone in and about the well of St. Winifred. 

 The legend states that the saint was flying from Caradoe, 

 who, overtaking her as she neared the church where her 

 parents were, drew his sword, and cut off her head. The 

 head rolled into the church where St. Benno was preach- 

 ing, and he, the saint, picking it up, fastened it on, and 

 the maiden was none the worse. She survived this 

 startling accident fifteen years, and became abbess of 

 Gwythern, in Denbighshire ; but the cruel caradoe 

 dropped down dead on the spot where he had committed 

 the impious deep. A well opened where the head of St. 

 Winifred had fallen, which is said to throw up fifteen 

 tons of water every minute, but all these waters do not 

 efface the marks of the tragic deed ; for 



" In the bottom there lie certain stones that look white. 

 But streaked with pure red, as the morning with light. 

 Which they say is her blood !" 



Numerous as are the marine members of the true 

 Conferva family, they are equalled by the freshwater ones. 

 On one occasion when I was rambling on the banks of 

 the Wye, near Eoss, after a long season of drought, I 

 found something very like a seaweed adhering to stones 

 in the shallows. By carefully picking my way across 

 the partially dry river-bed, I reached a pool where this 



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