INTRODUCTION. 5 



Algae to be found in the American market. But neither 

 served the needs, at once, of a beginner, and of a sea side 

 rambler, upon American shores. I said just now, ^' for 

 those who come and knock." The '' Porter " opens the 

 door, only to such, in any garden of delight, or palace of 

 good. There must be interest enough, to lead one to 

 ask admittance. If you want to go in and see what 

 is growing in this strange world under the sea, you 

 have only to come and knock, and heed what the 

 "Porter" says to you, at the gate, and you may go in, 

 and wander far and wide, amid the beauties of this 

 charming flora. 



To begin with, then, I must assume that you are 

 willing to put a little earnest work into this study. 

 What you achieve with some cost, you will enjoy 

 with more zest. But I shall attempt so to present the 

 matter, as to call for the least possible labor, in 

 attaining the best results. The descriptions of the 

 plants, will, as far as possible, be confined to those 

 points of appearance, etc., which can be seen with the 

 unaided eye, or at least with the help of a simple 

 pocket lens. Especial attention will be given to point- 

 ing out the particular kind of place where each plant 

 naturally grows, and the season of the year when 

 it may be found most abundantly, so that you will 

 be able to search intelligently for it, and be all the 



