THE -WONDERS OF THE SHORE. 113 



where constant exposure to light dwarfs the 

 plant, and turns it of a dull umber-brown tint, — 

 it is elegant in form and briUiant in color. The 

 expanding fan-shaped fi-onds, cut into segments, 

 cut, and cut again, make fine bushy tufts in a 

 deep pool, and every segment of every frond 

 reflects a flush of the most lustrous azure, like 

 that of a tempered sword-blade." — Gosse's Dev- 

 onshire Coast, pp. 187 - 189. 



And the sea-bottom, also, has its zones, at 

 different depths, and its pecuhar forms in pecu- 

 liar spots, affected by the currents and the 

 nature of the ground, the riches of which have 

 to be seen, alas ! rather by the imagination than 

 the eye ; for such spoonfuls of the treasure as 

 the dredge brings up to us come too often rolled 

 and battered, torn from (lieir sites and con- 

 tracted by fear, mere hints to us of what the 

 populous reality below is like. And often, 

 standing on the shore at low tide, has one longed 

 to walk on and in under the waves, as the water- 

 ousel docs in the pools of the mountain burn, 

 and SCO it all but (or a moment ; and a solemn 

 beauty and moaning has invested the old Greek 

 fable of Glaucus tlie fishernuui, Jiow he ate of 

 the herb which gave liis fish strength to leap 

 8 



