FLOWERS OF THE SEA. 15 
sand, though our knowledge of many of these 
is quite limited. 
“ Alge have been regarded as belonging to 
one of three classes, according to their color: 
the Melanospermeee embraced the olive brown 
and black; the Lhodospermece were the purple 
and the red; while the Chlorospermee were the 
green. This arrangement has been discarded 
and various others substituted, relating more 
particularly to the structure and development 
of the Algw. These classifications, however, 
are still very imperfect, and the nomenclature 
of many groups is still undetermined. Wheth- 
er man understands and gives them a name or 
not, they grow in grace and beauty, perfectly 
understood by their Creator and accomplishing 
his will. 
“They draw their sustenance from the wa- 
ter, being without roots, often fastening them- 
selves by a kind of sucker to rocks, shells, and 
sea bottoms. Not unfrequently their hold be- 
comes loosened or their branches broken, so 
we find them tossed by the waves upon the 
strand or carried in tangles through the waters, 
far from their native colonies. So great are 
these masses as sometimes to hinder the pas- 
sage of ships im their courses. Varieties of 
kelp in vicinity of the Falkland Islands are 
7 
