166 SEAWEEDS. 



Merry billows running landward, with a sparkle and a song, 

 Crystal green with foam enwoven, bursting, brightly spilt along ; 

 Thousand shapes, of living wonder, in the clear pools of the rock ; 

 Lengths of strand, and sea-fowl armies, rising like a puff of smoke, 

 I )rift and tangle on the limit, where the wandering water fails, 

 Level faintly-clear horizon, touched with clouds and phantom sails." 



A spring tide was rolling in, ever and anon depositing 

 heaps of wreck, which lads were gathering eagerly, and 



carrying away in donkey carts. 1, too, claimed a share 

 of ocean's bounty ; and carrying a good bundle to a 

 rocky platform, out of reach of the spray, but in the 

 midst of the musical roar, I examined my treasures. 



There were large sprays of the Oak Delesseria, all be- 

 set with colonies of young fronds, and masses of the 

 Jointed Chyloeladia, looking like branching strings of 

 glossy beads. The Eose Delesseria was there too, and 

 abundance of the Dulse, and many another old friend, 

 but the prize specimen was a frond of the Downy Codium, 

 a foot in length! (C. tomentacum, Cut /., fig. 1). The 

 branches were forked and cylindrical, about the thickness 

 of a common cedar pencil, and covered with soft down. 

 The colour was myrtle green, and the texture of the 

 weed was spongy. I have seen specimens from many 

 places on our shores, but never any so large as my Cor- 

 nish treasure. The purse-like Codium is a great contrast 

 to its tall brother. It is a perfect hollow ball, a little 

 drawn out where attaching to a rock ; its texture, too, is 

 spongy (C. bursa, Cut I., fig. 2). It is very rare ; my 

 specimen came from Jersey. There are two other Co- 

 diums, but they are little more than incrustations, and 

 are also very rare. 



