SEAWEEDS. 1G3 



sembling the end of an ostrich feather. There, too, was 

 the C. arbuscula, the thicker opaque stem, naked in the 

 lower part, and then bearing crowded branches, gives it 

 a striking similarity to a miniature tree. The C. spon- 

 giosus retains water like a sponge ; it grows parasitic on 

 other algae, on the north coast of Devon. The C. roseum 

 prefers muddy shores ; its fronds are fan shaped. C. 

 turneri grows as a creeping parasite ; and C. polysper- 

 mum is to be found on the coarser algae. C. brodiaei is 

 only found on the coast of Northumberland, and the south 

 of England ; whilst C. pedicellatum is dredged from deep 

 water. None of these species favoured our collection. 

 A wet day at Ardrossan was well spent in spreading our 

 beautiful red weeds, and very creditable our collection 

 looked ; we had green weeds too, but we were not quite 

 ready to study them. Our love for the seaweeds had so 

 increased that we had not cared to cast a look inland at 

 Ardrossan, we saw no beauty but in algae. 



" Oh, I love the ocean flower, 

 Gem of the unbounded deep ; 

 And through many a future hour 

 "Will the fond memorial keep. 

 It tells that in the mystic world, 

 Deep where resistless waters flow, 

 Where the wrecked barque is wildly hurl'd, 

 Untrodden fields and forests grow. 

 As from the green and sunny land 

 Gems of richest beauty spring ; 

 Form'd by the same unerring hand 

 Comes forth the ocean offering." 



