152 Notes on the Bermudas. 



of tlie Bermudas are very rich. The coral rocks with tlieir cav- 

 erns and sinuosities afford just the shelter and other requisite 

 conditions required for the growth and propagation of Algse. Ac- 

 cordingly we find a great abundance of individuals and a wide 

 variety of species. The storms and the currents together drive 

 them upon the shelving part of the shores^ on which during the 

 spring, summer, and autumn months, they may be gathered in 

 great abundance, and in a good state of preservation. Besides 

 this, the shallow bays and estuaries, and the deep pools formed in 

 the hollows of the rocks, afford a rich harvest to the industrious 

 collector. 



This large and interesting Class of plants has been divided into 

 three great Sub-Classes, distinguished exclusively by their color,, 

 and not by anything peculiar in their structure or habits. These 

 colors are,- — Olivaceous (Melanosperms) ; Red (Rhodosperms) ; 

 Grass-green (Chlorosperms.) The last is characteristic of those 

 Algse which are found in fresh water, and in the shallow parts of 

 the sea along the shores, and generally above half-tide level ; this 

 color is rarely found in plants that grow at any depth.. The Oli- 

 vaceous are almost entirely confined to marine species,, and are 

 found chiefly between half-tide and low-water mark, and those 

 which inhabit deep water ai'e of a darker hue and stronger tex- 

 ture than the others. The Red reach their maximum in deep 

 water, and are seldom found above low-water mark, and those 

 which are found between tides lose much of their brilliancy, and 

 assume purple, orange or green tints. We have thus at the two 

 extremities green and red colors, and between them, the combi- 

 nation of both in the Olivaceous plants. 



In the arrangement of these Sub-Classes, the Melanosperms be- 

 ing the most highly organized in their structure and finictification,, 

 and containing ako the largest individuals of the family, are 

 -plkced first m or dev. The Rhodosperms standing next in these 

 Hfparticulars, and at the same time being the most beautiful io their 

 structure and delicate in their tissues, are placed second. The- 

 Chlorosperms being the most simple in their structure and exhi- 

 biting in most cases a lower form of fructification, are placed in 

 the third rank. 



Our space will only permit us to give a catalogue of the Algsfr 

 we found in Bermuda under these three classes, and in doing so- 

 we adopt the classification of Harvey in his Nereis Boreali- Ameri- 

 cana, so far as this monogram reaches. The Sub-Class ChLoro^ 

 spermse has not yet been published.,. 



