THE SHORES OF BRITAIN. 43 



1 shall notice a few other Algce, remarkable either 

 for singularity or beauty, and then dismiss these 

 interesting tribes. The common Sea-thong {Himan- 

 thaVta lorea), so generally distributed, is worthy of 

 observation on account of its curious mode of growth. 

 From a shallow cup, affixed to the rock by a short 

 foot-stalk, spring two or three long, olive-coloured 

 straps, each of which becomes divided into two, and 

 each of tliese into two more, in succession : these 

 attain commonly the length of eight or ten feet, and 

 have been asserted to reach even twenty feet. The 

 thongs were formerly considered the fronds of this 

 species ; but it is now ascertained that the singular 

 cup is the true frond, and the thongs the receptacles 

 of the seed greatly lengthened. The surface of the 

 thone: is studded with tubercles, from which are 

 discharged the seeds, accompanied with much mucua, 

 through the pores. The cup of this species has been 

 occasionally observ^ed on exposed rocks, swollen into 

 a large hollow smooth black ball, exactly round, 

 perhaps caused by the heat of the sun rarefying and 

 expanding the contained air, or being perhaps the 

 indication of a diseased state of the plant. 



A very remarkable form, and one of singular 

 beauty, is presented by the Peacock's tail {Padina 

 pavom'a), a species not uncommon, attached to rocks 

 at the bottom of still, and generally shallow, marine 

 pools with a muddy bottom. The fronds rise in form 

 of a rounded fan, of a yellowish-olive tint, elegantly 

 marked with concentric zones or bands, of a dark 

 brown. One side, and sometimes both, is generally 

 hoary, as if dusted with powder, and the outer edge 



