64 Lucas, Among the Seaweeds at Portsea. [v^'^xxxvi. 



At Portsea the Plocamiums were, as all along the ocean coast, 

 in great evidence, and are the plants most generally admired 

 l)y amateurs. Their fern-like shape and briUiant crimson 

 colour make them universal favourites. I gathered four species 

 at Portsea. To my surprise, P. Preissianitm, Sonder, segments 

 in threes, seemed to be the commonest. P. angitstum (J. Ag.), 

 H. and H., was also abundant. P. Mertensii (Grev.), Harv., 

 with serrated segments, was more common than P. procernm 

 (J. Ag.), Harv., with entire segments. Probably the two are 

 just forms of the same species. I did not meet with P. 

 coccineiim (Huds.), Lyngb., which is the common British species, 

 and occurs in most Antarctic dredgings, and is not uncommon 

 off southern Australia and Tasmania. I only saw one frag- 

 ment of P. costatiim (J. Ag.), H. and H., though it was plentiful 

 at Anglesea and Barwon Heads. I was very glad to obtain 

 specimens of Dictyota nigricans, J. Ag. It seemed to be not 

 uncommon, and I had found it at Barwon Heads. I was also 

 lucky to secure a good plant of Bellotia eriophorinn, Harv., 

 showing its umbels of feathery, globular tassels. 



I made four trips to the Back Beach altogether, but, as I 

 did not expect, made more captures on the shore of the Bay. 

 Just below the fort I struck a small, low breakwater of big 

 stones which served to arrest and divert the incoming alg?e. 

 Here I found several algae of rarity and interest, including 

 Scinaia furcellata (Turn.), Bivon., Pollexfenia crispata (Zan.), 

 Falk., Binder a splachnoides, Harv., with a new Herposiphonia. 

 Cymodocea gave abundance of Dicranenia GreviUei, Sond. — 

 an alga which never grows on anything else — of Pachydidyon 

 paniculattim, J. Ag., and Lobospira bicuspidata, Aresch. Two 

 or three plants of Nitophylhini Gimnianum, Harv., and dozens 

 of N. affine, Harv., were thrown up, as also Champia affinis 

 (H. and H.), J. Ag., Wrangelia clavigera, Harv., Haloplegma 

 Preissii, Sonder, Delisea elegans (Ag.), Mont., Cronania australis 

 (Harv.), J. Ag., and Mtiellerena insignis (Harv.), De Toni. On 

 some rocks exposed at low water grew Helminthora lumens, 

 J. Ag., and Ceramiinn claviilatinn, Ag. In all, I collected over 

 100 species at Portsea. 



Victoria is singularly well off for algae. There is good 

 collecting in the Bay at Sandringham and Williamstown, close 

 a,t hand ; and for a holiday in summer, when the algae are 

 fruiting, the whole coast of Bass Strait is a seaweed paradise. 

 Probably nowhere else in the world are the algae more numerous 

 in species and individuals. They are beautiful objects. There 

 is some sport in their capture, and the study of them, their 

 structure, and their physiology, throws striking light on the 

 nature of plant life in general. Will not some members of the 

 Club help by taking up the study ? 



