V4. THE HALL OF SHELLS. 
On the surface, foam and roar, 
Restless heave and passion dash, 
Shingle rattle along the shore, 
Gathering boom and thundering crash, 
Under the surface loveliest forms, 
Feathery fronds with crimson curl, 
Treasures too deep for the raid of storms— 
Delicate coral and hidden pearl. 
These, the strands of a carpet soft, 
Richer than mortal ever trod ; 
Freed by the current and borne aloft 
To show us the hidden work of God. 
She begged Dr. McLean to tell of these 
delicate sea flowers. He began by saying: “The 
term A/qge, or seaweeds, is much more restricted 
than formerly; it used to embrace many ma- 
rine specimens now consigned to the animal 
kingdom, Many are the gay dissemblers in 
the sea, and we can almost imagine them laugh- 
ing together at their successes in so long de- 
ceiving the very elect of scientists. 
“Linneeus, a Swedish naturalist, with great 
love for Nature and great skill in guessing her 
riddles, was one of the first to see that many 
so-called sea plants were sensitive to human 
touch, and possessed the organs of animal life. 
He catalogued fifty species which he regarded 
as seaweeds; we now know of several thou- 
