SEA-WEEDS. 163 



grass. This species is not branched, and may, by 

 this circumstance, be distinguished from the com- 

 pressed kind. 



These are some of the beautiful grassy weeds, 

 which render a walk by the sea at low tide so 

 interesting to all who observe Nature, not alone 

 in its vast magnificence of sea and sky, but in 

 minute details, its rocky fringes of sea-plants, or 

 its delicate glass-like shells, handfuls of which 

 come up when we put our hands into the salt- 

 water pools. On a calm summer evening it is 

 delightful to linger among the smooth boulders, or 

 rugged rocks, looking now at the minute beauties 

 of the water, and then at their wide expanse, 

 bounded by the rich horizon of a glowing sunset. 

 Calder Campbell has well described such a scene : 



" The tide is out, and every wave that breaks 

 Bids a brief farewell to the shelving shore ; 

 Leaving pink weeds, white shells, and dripping ooze, 

 In token that it shall return again ! 



Hocks, rough with limpets and brown tangle weeds, 

 Jut here and there : whilst on the steady cliff, 

 (Half hid in water, and half robed in weeds,) 

 Its cable sure the crafty mussel spins, 

 Lashing itself for safety to the rock. 



White are the sands before me ; here and there 

 Speckled with slaky spots of green, that tell 

 Where 'neath their emerald fringes cockles hide : 

 Strange shells, the marvels of old Ocean's bed, 

 Are strew'd around : Have they been always here, 

 Or come they hither from far distant shores, 

 Unwilling captives of careering waves?" 



But, beautiful as the green lavers, and resem- 

 bling them in form and structure, is that lovely 

 plaited reddish purple-coloured leaf, the Porphyra, 

 or true laver (Porphyra laciniatd). A fragile thing 



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