SriTZHERGEN AND GHKKNLAM). 55 



whether they proceed from these bladders or from eggs, as 

 our snails do. It may be after the same manner as we find 

 on many leaves in onr country, bladders filled up with the 

 seeds of worms or caterpillars, yet I dare not assert it, 

 because I have no opportunity to search narrowly into the 

 matter ; the root groweth out of the rocks, wherefore I call 

 it a rock plant ; it hath some fibers, and is sometimes round. 

 I found this herb in great plenty, first in the South Bay, 

 near the Cookery of Harlem, where we take up the water ; 

 then in the Mussel Haven, at Spitzhergen ; then at Calcs, in 

 Spai7i. 



When this herb is dried, it looketh brown and blackish ; 

 it gives and groweth w^et again when a south or south-west 

 wind blows, because of the salt that penetrates it, but when 

 the wind is east or north it is stiff and dry. 



Among all the figures that I have seen, I find none liker 

 than that given in the 39th book and 50th chapter of the 

 Iferdumish Herbal, by the name of Alga Marina Platyceros 

 perosa, only that this is porous or spongy, and white. ^ 



The leaves of the great rock herb are very like unto a 

 man's tongue; it is on each or both sides curled, but plain 

 before and not curled ; through the middle of it run tAvo 

 black streaks or nerves to the stalk, and on the outside of 

 them appear many black spots, within the black stroaks, on 

 each side, to the middlemost plain stroak ; the herb is 

 adorned with small curies ; in the middle it is quite smooth 

 to the stalk ; on the end of the leaf next the stalk are two 

 white stroaks, almost to the middle of the leaf, bending 

 round outwards ; if they were quite closed they would make 

 an oval. 



The leaf is above six foot long, and yellow, and the stalk 

 yet longer ; the stalk is round and smooth, and of a yellow 

 colour, like unboiled glew ; nearer the root it is thicker than 

 at the leaf, and it smells of mussels. 



^ Fucus digitatvs ? 



