Zbc pilgrims ot tbe l^ear 163 



for idiocy " in an oil called " oil of manskull." 

 Th3^me, rue, lard, and the ground skull of a recently 

 dead person were to be mixed and melted into an 

 ointment, which, rubbed into the idiot's head, would 

 produce excellent results ! The Chinese with his 

 fungus-caterpillar was no more absurd. 



ALG^. 



Let us look at the alg^. Unlike the fungi they 

 have a portion of chlorophyl, or leaf-green. They 

 are known as fresh-water alga3 and salt-water algae 

 (usually called sea-weeds). This suggests to us that 

 their homes being in the water, they must secure 

 their food, as do the fishes, from the water and the air 

 contained in water. This accounts for their being 

 in most cases so very finely divided. Nearly all 

 leaves or fronds growing under water are much 

 parted, as if they had been cut into little strips or 

 fringes. 



The algse are fiowerless plants, yet from their deli- 

 cate, graceful forms, and lovely coloring, are often as 

 beautiful as flowers. The gardens of the sea, with 

 their fiowerless plants and flower-like animals, the 

 sea-anemones, are as charming as the gardens of the 

 land. 



The fresh- water algse are mostly green, pulpy, and 

 not so richly varied as sea-weeds. Some of them 



