*4 



THE OCEAN. 



The Peacock's Tail {Padina pavonia). 



is delicately fringed with exceedingly minute filaments, 

 which, in a living state, often reflect the prismatic 

 colours of the rainbow. 



Perhaps the most lovely of all the Fuci is the 

 Delesseria savguinea, which is a common species. It 

 consists of several oblong-oval or pointed leaves, of 

 extreme delicacy, with the edges very much waved or 

 plaited, furnished with a midrib and side-veins, which 

 materially increase their leaf-like appearance ; tlie 

 colour is an exceedingly rich translucent rose-pink. 

 The midrib often throws out smaller leaves, which, if 

 the main frond be destroyed, soon attains its usual 

 size ; an interesting provision against the accidents 

 to which these apparently frail plants are necessarily 

 exposed. The fructification of this genus is curious, 

 as beins of a twofold character : both forms are found 



