98 SEA MOSSES. 



parted asunder lower down. One by one the straps 

 from the margin inv/ards are pulled away from the 

 old blade, till at last it is held by but two or three 

 central ones. These part at last, and the old frond 

 falls like an autumn leaf 



" Because its time to die has come." 



Those who live by the sea the year around may 

 be interested to watch this curious process of "shed- 

 ding the leaf," in this species. It was first described 

 many years ago, by that most pains-taking and sharp- 

 eyed naturalist, Dawson Turner. This species is not 

 common, if it is found at all, south of Cape Cod ; 

 north of that it is plenty enough. 



Laminaria Andersonii, Eaton. 



I have three copies of this plant, sent me a few 

 years ago by Dr. Anderson himself, and for want of 

 » a prmted description by the author, will give a de- 

 scription of one of these. This specimen is about 

 one yard long. The lower half is a stem with the 

 usual branching hold-fast. The stem is cyHndrical, of 

 uniform size, one-sixth of an inch in thickness. It 

 suddenly expands into the blade of the frond which 

 IS about an inch wide, and, of course, half a yard 

 long, sides parallel except where it narrows into the 



