26 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Another specimen of a very large seaweed is D'Urvillea. This 

 plant is as common as possible on our own rocks ; it especially 

 delights in fastening itself on to the rocks that are lashed 

 by the turbulent breakers in the offing. It is an ever- 

 wonderful sight to see a foaming torrent dashing between 

 close-lying rocks, all below water-mark being covered by the 

 huge fronds of D'Urvillea. As the torrent passes the fronds 

 are swept by it to their utmost stretch, and the beholder never 

 expects to see them again. Now the water rushes back, carrying 

 the seaweed with it. And so on, backwards and forwards, with 

 ceaseless velocity ; but the firm root-like mass at the base laughs 

 at the power of the water, and the young frond grows and 

 flourishes in this rough cradle. One of the red seaweeds is a 

 Polysiphonia ; they are often found growing on some of the 

 larger brown seaweeds. Their construction is rather curious. A 

 number of tubes are completely surrounded by a thicker layer 

 of smaller tubes ; this constitutes the stem for a single internode, 

 then a number of very short tubes placed in the same manner 

 forms the node, then follows a similar internode, and in this way 

 the stem and all its branches are formed. One species, P. 

 elongata, is a perennial, and in its several seasonal aspects varies 

 as much as a deciduous tree. It grows on clean rocky sites in 

 deep water. As winter approaches the branchlets fall off, and 

 the stem and branches remain bare until spring returns. While 

 in its winter state it is known in Britain under another name. 

 The branchlets are renewed in the spring, and the plant becomes 

 much more beautiful in consequence of their increasing number. 

 On account of their bulk, Mr. Hall informs me he was unable to 

 dry the large olive green and brown species. So that the great 

 division Phsephycese is only represented by half a dozen 

 species, two of which have not been identified by Prof. 

 Reinhold, and may be new to science. On the other hand, the 

 Chlorophycese, as a usual thing, are so small and require such 

 close hunting that Mr. Hall has not been able to collect many. 

 I remark that out of the six specimens two seem to be varieties 

 of known species. The red seaweeds, Floridege, are, however, 

 well represented. The greater number have been identified, but 

 ten out of the thirty specimens of Floridese are either unknown 

 or varieties of known species. I append to this paper a full list 

 of the species found, and will conclude with a few lines from the 

 pen of Marie J. Ewan : — 



" Nature hath tones of magic deep, and colours iris bright, 

 And murmurs full of earnest truth, and visions of delight ; 

 'Tis said, ' The heart that tiusts in her was never yet beguiled,' 

 But meek and lowly thou must be, and docile as a child. 

 Then study her with reverence high, and she will give the key, 

 So shalt thou learn to comprehend the ' secrets of the sea.' " 



