THE WONDEES OF THE SHORE. 1.39 



will discover them to us. We shall even thus find 

 enough to occupy (if we choose) our life-time. For 

 we must recollect that this hasty sketch has not even 

 touched on that vegetable water-world, which is as 

 wonderful and as various as the animal one. A 

 liasty hint or two of the beauty of the sea-weeds 

 has been given ; but space has allowed no more. 

 Yet we might have spent our time with almost as 

 much interest and profit, had we neglected utterly 

 the animals which we have found, and devoted 

 our attention exclusively to the fiora of the rocks. 

 Sea-weeds are no mere pla}i:hings for children ; 

 and to buy at a shop some thirty pretty kinds, 

 pasted on paper, with long names (probably mis- 

 spelt) written under each, is not by any means to 

 possess a collection of them. Putting aside the 

 number and the obscurity of their species, the 

 questions which arise in studying theii' grow^th, re- 

 production, and organic chemistry, are of the very 

 deepest and most important in the whole range of 

 science ; and it will need but a little study of such 

 II book as " Harvey's Alga3," to show the wise man 



