2Q2 BY THE DEEP SEA. 



be anything between half an inch and two inches. Where the 

 frond branches the mid-rib becomes thicker and bolder. It 

 is quite innocent of bladders. The name of the genus is 

 founded upon the word Phukos, which is the Greek name for 

 a seaweed. 



Almost equally plentiful with those species of Fucus we have 

 named, is the Pod-weed (Haltdrys stliquosa), with long atten- 

 uated compressed fronds, four or five feet in length, much 

 branched, most of the branches being exceeding short, but 

 others ending in air vessels. These are ribbed transversely, 

 and bear a very close likeness to the seed-pods of the furze. 

 They run out to a narrow point at the free end, and are 

 divided into small air-chambers within. But there are other 

 pods that contain the reproductive elements, and these may 

 be known by the pores by which their surfaces are perforated. 

 The name Halidrys, signifies sea-oak 

 (Greek, Hals> the sea, and drus, oak), 

 but the why and wherefore of the name 

 are not easily determined. If the abun- 

 dant pod-like vessels are kept in mind, 

 there is no difficulty in knowing this 

 species the first time it is seen. 



At low-water, you will often find, at- 

 tached to the rocks, a shallow horny cup, 

 or button, of olive hue, about the size 

 of a penny. This is the Sea-thongs 

 (Himanthalia lored), which gets its name from a very long, 

 branched, strap-like growth from the centre of the cup. The 

 cup is the frond the plant proper and the extraordinary 

 straps, which may be half an inch wide and twenty feet long, 

 are merely the receptacles containing the reproductive organs, 

 which open by pores all over their surfaces. The receptacles 

 are not produced until the second year of the plant's life, so 

 that many examples will be met consisting of the cup-like frond 

 only. It is a local plant, and not therefore to be found on all 

 parts of the coast. 



POD-WEED. 



