Fucecs.'] Fucus. 109 



thatch and fuel. The root is a large flat disc. The fronds 

 are from two to three feet in length. The air-vessels, as large 

 as nuts, are in pairs ; the receptacles, in pairs and often 

 forked, terminate the branches. 



There is a variety of this, which is sometimes called Fucus 

 Balticus. It is found among grass and moss in marshy 

 ground occasionally overflowed by the tide. It is not at- 

 tached by roots to anything, and yet, like floating gulf-weed, 

 it grows. In a very pleasant excursion in the island of 

 Arran, in the summer of 1847, with Dr. Greville and Prof. 

 BaKour of Edinburgh, and other friends. Dr. Greville 

 pointed it out to me in abundance on the shore at Brodrock 

 near the quay, on ground saturated with fresh water, but 

 overflowed by high tides. In this state it is very dimi- 

 nutive; but the full-grown plant is exceedingly useful. 

 "We have already mentioned that it is employed as winter 

 food for cattle. Lightfoot mentions that during snow- 

 storms in the Highlands, the red deer descends from the 

 wild mountains to the shore to feed on this Sea-weed. 

 He mentions also that Dr. Eussell h^s recommended the 

 saponaceous mucus of the vesicles as very effectual in re- 

 moving glandular swellings, and says that by calcining the 

 plant in the open air, a black salt powder is procured. 



