RED ALG^. 225 



live of the genus found there. It rises from a few 

 matted fibres in a narrow, flattened stem, one-tenth 

 of an inch wide, whose edges are shghtly turned 

 upon one side, making a channel on that side, and 

 leaving the other shghtly convex. It is bare for an 

 inch or more, and then forks or irregularly branches 

 from its two edges. The opposite branches divide 

 and sub-divide once or twice, after a more or less 

 pinnate fashion. The ultimate ramuli, which are mi- 

 nute spines, often bear the fruit in swollen and 

 rounded vessels, developed in their middle in such a 

 way as frequently to turn the end of the spine down 

 at right angles to its general axis, so as to make 

 the whole bear a striking resemblance to a minute 

 bird's head, bill and all. 



It grows in dense tufts, from two to four inches 

 high, in tide pools, and on the rocks between tides, 

 all the season through. Dr. Dimmick collects it at 

 Castle Point, Santa Barbara, but it may be looked 

 for, I suppose, in favorable localities everywhere. 

 The younger parts of the plant adhere well to paper. 



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