250 BRITISH SEA-WEEDS. [BJiodospermea.. 



Hab. Common almost everywhere in the sea. Perennial. 

 Summer and autumn. Though generally common, it is 

 rather of unfrequent occurrence on the sea-shore about 

 Ardrossan and Saltcoats, but very frequent at Ballantrae in 

 Ayrshire. So abundant is it on the coast of Kintyre, Ar- 

 gyleshire, that it might be got in cart-loads ; the same is 

 the case on the coast of East Lothian, where it really is 

 carted away for manure. 



It has generally a peculiar appearance, according to the 

 place where it grows. At Leith, where it is very frequent, 

 it is more cartilaginous, more erect, and of a darker hue 

 than the Ayrshire specimens ; and the pattern, we would 

 say, less genteel.^ The Irish specimens are large and 

 strong, as well represented in Pliyc. Brit., PI. xliv. 



ramifications est tres-remarquable ; cbaque rameau est Icgerement flexueux, 

 et n'emet de ramifications que du cote convexe : la premiere est un filet 

 simple ct pointu ; la deuxieme est un filet qui a trois dents du cote anterieur ; 

 la troisicme est un filet qui a deux dents, et qui au lieu de la troisii'Uie dent 

 pousse un filet muni d'une dent en dehors ; la quatrieme est un filet qui n'a 

 qa'uue dent, la deuxieme dent est devenue un filet ti une dent, ct la troisieme 

 un filet ramcux. Apres ces quatre ramifications il y a un cspace vide, et la 

 tige emet des rameaux semblablcs du cote oppose.' " 



* Since writing the above, I have received from !Mrs. R. ^I. Stark, Edin- 

 burgh, specimens gathered by her at Leith, as beautiful in colour and as 

 genteel in form as any found in the west. 



