148 SEA-WEEDS. 



rather dull red tint, which is pale rose-coloured in 

 the young shoots. Its frond is wedge-shaped, with 

 a midrib or vein sometimes plainly marked; at 

 others not visible. Towards the end of this frond 

 arises one or more of the same shape, growing out 

 of it as it were, and then from that proceed others, 

 until the plant is sometimes five or six inches long. 

 This is a very peculiar mode of growth ; and the 

 sea-weed can scarcely be mistaken if compared 

 with this description. 



There is a very lovely little sea-weed called the 

 Feathery Ptilota (Ptilota plumosa), common on 

 our shores in summer and autumn, and found 

 more generally on the stem of the tangle than 

 elsewhere. We shall only describe it as resem- 

 bling a pink or dark purplish feather, having its 

 branches all feathered with little rays or pinnge, 

 seated opposite to each other on the main stem, 

 just like the red plume of a robin, only that it 

 'is more flexible. Dr. Greville remarks of this 

 plant, " The finest specimens I have ever seen 

 were communicated to me from the Orkney 

 Islands. One of these, now lying before me, is a 

 foot in length, and completely covers a large folio 

 sheet of paper; many of the long branches lying 

 over each other/' When left to dry on the shore 

 the plant turns of a violet-colour, then to brick- 

 red, and lastly, changes to green. 



That very abundant plant of our sea -side, the 

 Scarlet Dasya (Dasya coccinea), will be sufficiently 

 described by the engraving ; its stems vary from 

 two to six inches in height, and are rough, with 

 minute hair-like fibres, and generally of a deeper 

 red than the branches. It is of a dull pink colour 

 in the water, but on exposure to the sun, becomes 



