CHAPTER V 



ANIMAL-PLANTS AND SEA-WEEDS 



PEERING amongst the rocks and rock-pools in 

 search of " the flowers of the sea," one catches 

 glimpses of wonderland. In great waving masses 

 the larger sea-weeds fling out their long coloured 

 tresses to be caressed and carried by the waves ; 

 for these "algae, "as science calls them, have no 

 strong branches to support their own weight. If 

 they had, they would be broken and tattered after 

 each storm ; but, bending and twisting with the 

 waves, perfect in every movement, they are 

 beautiful and as safe as may be in so dangerous an 

 environment. After a gale we find them uprooted 

 rather than broken. Their beauty is marred and 

 draggled on the sand, but, if we take some of these 

 apparently shapeless tangles of slimy stuff from 

 high-water mark and place them in the nearest 

 pool, in an instant their fairy beauty has returned, 

 and they are once again gracefully waving to 

 and fro. 



But these large fronds will not monopolise the 



