166 SEA- WEEDS. 



Arctic Seas, and make many a little emerald 

 island in the midst of the waters of tropical climes. 

 One singular species of laver (Ulva thermatis), 

 flourishes in the hot-springs of Gastein, where the 

 water is at the temperature of 117 of Fahrenheit ; 

 while the thin gelatinous leaf of the Crisp Ulva 

 ( Ulva crispa), growing in our land on moist ground, 

 and covering the old thatched roof of the cottage 

 with its wrinkled frond, was the last land plant 

 gathered during the Antarctic Expedition, at 

 Cockburn Island, 64 south lat, beyond which 

 the land seems destitute of even the slightest 

 vegetation. 



There are large genera of the Chlorosperms 

 which must be left unnoticed here ; and although 

 several contain common sea-weeds, yet they are 

 not so likely to be observed by the rambler on the 

 shores who may not have studied marine plants, 

 nor are they easily described in familiar language. 

 One beautiful and elegant green sea- weed, how- 

 ever, the ornament of our rocky pools, must not 

 be omitted. That graceful little plant, so like a 

 bunch of soft green feathers, is the feathery Bry- 

 opsis (Bryopsis plumosa) ; nor is it an unfrequent 

 ornament of our sea-rocks and stones. It is usually 

 two or three inches in length, with a thread-like 

 stem, and generally without branches at the lower 

 part. The branches then spread off, and are set 

 with one or two series of the little feathers. The 

 young plants, especially, resemble them. The 

 plant is of a bright green, very tender and deli- 

 cate, and when laid out on paper, to which it 

 adheres very closely, it looks as if it had been 

 covered with varnish, and the stalks become clear 

 and colourless in drying. Its root consists of a. 



