THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 87 



fronds are covered with capsules containing seeds, and called 

 favellse. These favellse are generally surrounded by hair-like 

 leaves, which curl around them in such a manner as to give them 

 the appearance of a rosebud with scarlet sepals. If a transverse 

 section of a branch be examined tetraspores will be found, forming 

 a complete whorl around the centre, but beneath the surface. 

 Upwards of nine species of Ceramium were found by the writer 

 at Ocean Grove, but only two of these in the half-tide pool ; the 

 remainder grow in deep water, and were obtained as drift after a 

 storm. While we have been examining the seaweeds of this pool 

 the tide has been receding, and we can pass on to those pools 

 that are uncovered at low water mark. At the bottom of this 

 hole we may see quantities of Hormosira — that is, the bladder 

 wrack, described in my first paper. If examined closely, curious 

 little seaweeds may be seen growing out of the conceptacles of 

 the air bladders. This is a parasitic plant, Notheia anomala, and 

 it is only found on Hormosira. Now this is a very curious 

 phenomenon. In the first place Notheia belongs to the division 

 of seaweeds termed Fucaceae, none of which (except this) are 

 parasites. It is only found on Hormosira, which also belongs to 

 the Fucacese, and lastly it springs from the reproductive organ of 

 that plant, namely, the conceptacle. Harvey, in the fourth volume 

 of the Phijcologia Australica, says : — " The Notheia grows con- 

 stantly from the spore cavity of the Hormosira, and its fronds, 

 however different in aspect, have just so much affinity in develop- 

 ment with those of Hormosira that one is tempted to guess at the 

 possibility, at least, of this parasite being an abnormal proliferous 

 growth from the hymenium of the nobler species. Were the 

 occurrence of Notheia rare, such a view would be strengthened ; 

 but it is far too common along a great extent of coast, and far too 

 regular in its development to favour such an opinion, in the 

 absence of direct evidence of its truth." Here there is a problem 

 for some of our members to elucidate. Professor Harvey had not 

 our advantages of observing this plant in its native home season 

 after season. I therefore trust that any of us who live or spend any 

 time by the sea may take every occasion of watching the develop- 

 ment of this seaweed. It is easily found, and as the Hormosira 

 is firmly fixed to the rock, the same plant can be noted time 

 after time. 



In this pool the brown seaweeds are to be found in abundance, 

 amongst others the smaller species of Sargassum. These require 

 careful attention to perceive them, for Mr. Bracebridge Wilson, in 

 his list of Victorian Algne, published 1866, only enumerates two 

 as being found by him during his dredging operations in Port 

 Phillip Bay and Bass Straits ; while the late Baron von Mueller, 

 in the eleventh volume of the " Fragmenta," mentions the names 

 of only four as being found in Victoria. Since that time (1880) 



