I03 



ail duileasf^, the mother of tlie dulse, as if the dulse had sjirung 

 from it. 



Corallina officinalis. — Gaelic : coireall (M'Alpine). Latin : 

 corallium, coral. Linean. It was used as a vermifuge. 



Polysiphonia fastigiata. A tuft of this sea-weed was sent to 

 me with the Gaelic name Fraoch f?idra, sea -heather, written 

 thereon. 



Hemanthalia lorea. — The cup-shaped frond from which the 

 long thongs spring is called aiotnlach, or iomleach {iomleag^ the 

 navel), from the resemblance of the cup-shaped disc to the 

 navel. Dr Neill mentions that in the north of Scotland a kind 

 of sauce for fish or fowl, resembling ketchup, is made from the 

 cup-like or fungus-like fronds of this sea-weed. 



Halydris siliquosa. — Gaelic: roineach mhara, the sea -fern. 

 (In the Isle of Skye.) 



Chorda filum — Sea-laces. In Shetland, Lucky Minny's lines ; 

 Ayrshire, dead men's ropes. Gaelic : gille mu lea?m (or mu 

 Hon), — gille, a young man, a servant; Hon, a net. Lightfoot 

 mentions that the stalks acquire such toughness as to be used 

 for fishing lines, and they were probably also used in the manu- 

 facture of nets. At all events it is a great obstacle when trawl- 

 ing with nets, as it forms extensive sea-meadows of long cords 

 floating in every direction. In some parts langadair is given to 

 a *' sea-weed, by far the longest one." This one is frequently 

 from twenty to forty feet in length. 



Sargassum vulgare (or bacciferum) — Sea-grapes. Gaelic : iiir- 

 usgar (sometimes written triisgar, from trus, gather), from tilrus, 

 a journey. This weed is frequently washed by the Gulf Stream 

 across the great Atlantic, with beans, nuts, and seeds, and cast 

 upon the western shores. These are carefully gathered, preserv- 

 ed, and often worn as charms. They are called uibhean s\thei?i, 

 fairy eggs, and it is believed that they will ward off evil-disposed 

 fairies. The nuts are called cnothan-spuinge, and most frequently 

 are Dolichas urens and Mimosa scandens. To Callithainnioii 

 Plocamiutn, &c., and various small red sea- weeds, such as adorn 

 ladies' albums, the Gaelic name smocan is applied. 



Confervae, such as Enteromorpha and Cladophora. Gaelic 

 and Irish : lianach or linnearach {linne, a pool). Martin de- 

 scribes a plant under the name of linarich — " a very thin, small, 

 green plant, about eight, ten, or twelve inches in length ; it grows 

 on stones, shells, and on the bare sands. This plant is applied 

 plasterwise to the forehead and temples to procure sleep for 



