96 BEITISH SEA-WEEDS. \JiIelanospermece, 



Spanish term for masses of Sea-weed found floating in the 

 ocean in some hUitudes. — Greville. 



1. Sargassum vulgare, Ag. 

 2. bacciferum, Ag. 



Plate III. fig. 4. S. haccifwum, with its lerrij-like vesi- 

 cles, which have sometinies been called sea-grajtes. 



Habit?i. Though both of these have been found cast on 

 the shores of the Orkney Islands, and the latter by Mr. W. 

 Backhouse on the English shores, they have no just claim 

 to take rank in our British Flora. But though they came 

 to us only like shipwrecked mariners of another country, 

 who could feel in his heart to cast them out ? If we lay 

 hold of them, it is not to treat them roughk, as intrusive 

 aliens, but to give them a kindly welcome, as interesting 

 strangers. AYe treat them in the same manner as our orni- 

 thologists treat a rare and beautiful straggler, which in 

 some of its long migratory flights has been driven by stress 

 of weather to make our island a temporary resting-place. 



This wandering Sea-weed has, however, been a very in- 

 teresting plant to us, and we doubt not to many, since 

 school-bo V davs, when we read, with all the fascinatinj' 

 charm of novelty, the discovery of a new world by the 

 magnanimous Columbus. " When about 400 leagues to 



