30 Rev. A. F. Kemp on the Shore Zones of 



bearded stem gives it a striking and characteristic appearance. 

 The whole breadth of this zone does not exceed one yard. 



V. The fifth zone is that of the Chondrus. 



Perhaps this belt is scarcely entitled to a separate place. 

 It blends so much with the preceding as scarcely to be dis- 

 tinguishable from it. Nevertheless Chondrus occupies so con- 

 spicuous a place here, and drives out of this, its special 

 retreat, almost all other plants, that it appears entitled to 

 be considered as possessing a separate territory or home. I 

 was not aware of the special locality of this plentiful and 

 useful plant, until I had examined the shore at extreme neap 

 tide. I then found much to my" astonishment that the lowest 

 part of the shore rocks which the tide had left bare, but which 

 were only bare at very low water, were deserted by almost every 

 other species, and that Chondrus alone covered every rock with 

 a densely matted carpet. So closely did the plant grow that not 

 a particle of the rock could be seen. Only in the interstices of 

 the rocks did some plants of Laminaria, Alaria^ and Chondaria 

 grow, all else was in undisputed possession of Chondrus. This 

 region is apparently its central home; here it retains its nor- 

 mal purplish-red colour, and is in all its parts regularly devel- 

 oped. It is however a great traveller. Specimens of it may be 

 found in pools far up ou the shore, even among the green Ulva, 

 and it extends its growth far out into the deep water. This is the 

 only really useful plant on the coast. It is very gelatinous, and 

 is considered njiirishing as an article of food, it makes very good 

 hlanc mango, r.d en being mixed with other materials is said to 

 be capital .eed lor cattle and pigs. For invalids it is often recom- 

 mended. Thrf article is imported from Europe to this country, 

 blanched and tiee Irom salt, and is kept by most druggists. It 

 grows in such immeasurable abundance along the whole Atlantic 

 coast of ximsrica from Nova Scotia to Long Island, that it seems 

 like bringing coals to Newcastle to import it to this country. 



VI. The Deep Sea Zone. 



Under cover of the deep blue waters of the ocean the finest 

 and most beautiful of the marine plants are generally to be found. 

 Many of the larger plants attain also their largest dimensions in 

 the deep waters. A large number of species belonging to the 

 order Laminareacece find their natural home in the deep sea. 

 One remarkable plant of this order is found growing only in deep 

 water ; and for this locality its structure is specially fitted ; I re- 



