170 BRITISH SEA-WEEDS. \_Melano8]ieTmem. 



Named Mesogloia, from two Greek words, signifying viscid and 

 middle, from the gelatinous axis. — Harvey. 



0. Mesogloia vermicularis, Agardh. 



Hab. On rocks in the sea. Annual. Summer. Common. 

 No beauty ; though the fruit is attractive, as represented in 

 PI. XXXI. of ' Phycologia Britannica.' 



2. Mesogloia virescens, Carmichael, (Plate V. fig. 20, 

 a frond of the natural size ; on the left, a small portion of 

 the frond magnified.) 



Hab. On rocks, stones, and xVlga3. Annual. Summer. 

 Common. Pound in England by Mrs. Griffiths ; in Ireland 

 by Mr. ^T. Thompson and Mr. M'Calla. It is very com- 

 mon in the west of Scotland, much more so than the pre- 

 ceding, and it is much more handsome. 



Even to the naked eye, when skilfully spread out, it is 

 beautiful ; the colour being a sweet yellowish-green, and its 

 appearance being villous owing to the length of the filaments, 

 which are set in a loose gelatine. The appearance of a branch 

 under the microscope is singularly interesting. 



3. Mesogloia Griffithsiana, GreviUe, 



This, which is said to be of a much firmer and more 

 compact substance than M. virescens, I have not seen. 



