50 THE OCEAN. 



derived from the edge of the stem, which is greatly 

 dilated and curled into tortuous waves or plaits. 



A long, narrow, ribbon-like leaf, with a thick mid- 

 rib, grows on the coast of Scotland, where it is called 

 Hen- ware, as well as on the northern shores of Ire- 

 land, where it receives the appellation of Murlins. 

 It is the Alaria esculenta of botanists. It is of a 

 transparent yellow-green, and in the herbarium dries 

 without any change, and has a very beautiful ap- 

 pearance. The midrib is the part usually selected 

 for eating, but Mr. Johns gives us a somewhat unfa- 

 vourable notion of its quality. "While walking,' 1 

 he observes, "round the coast near the Giants 

 Causeway, I once observed a number of men and 

 women busily employed near the water's edge; and 

 on inquiring of my guide, found that they were 

 providing themselves with food for their next meal. 

 Being curious to discover what kind of fare the 

 rocks afforded, I stopped one of the men, who was 

 going home with his bundle, and asked him to give 

 me a bit to taste, prepared in the way in which it 

 was generally eaten. He accordingly stripped off all 

 the expanded part of a long and narrow leaf, and 

 presented me with a stern, or midrib. It was, I 

 must confess, as good as I expected; but at best a 

 very sorry substitute for a raw carrot, combining 

 with the hardness of the latter the fishy and coppery 

 flavour of an oyster. I made a very slight repast, as 

 you may suppose; and, after having given the man a 

 few pence for his civility, continued my walk. My 

 guide, however, seemed to think, that if I did not 

 choose to enjoy to the full the advantage which I had 



