RED ALGJE. 243 



are clearly seen. The dark ones keep the uniform 

 proportion of being almost exactly as long as broad, 

 or quite square in every part of the frond. The 

 white bands vary very much in length, and are 

 longest in the old parts of the plant, and gradually 

 shorten toward the apices. The color is a dark 

 purple, which sometimes is given out in pressing and 

 drying, so as to stain the paper red or purple. It 

 may be looked for, all the collecting season through, 

 on the sides of perpendicular rocks near low-tide 

 mark. 



Ceramium strictum,* Harv. 



This is probably the species which Harvey describes 

 in the " Nereis," under the name of C. diaphanum. 

 Nothing is more common than it and the next species, 

 except it be C. ruhrum, all along our southern shores. 

 The plant grows in tufts, from two to four inches 

 high, as fine as hair, and divides or branches, by 

 narrowish forks, more and more close, towards the 

 extremity of the frond. 



The variegated appearance of the frond is plainly 

 visible to the naked eye. The dark red or purplish 

 bands, are relatively very short, especially toward 

 the base of the plant, where the white interstices are 



* Strictura = Drawn together, close, tight. 



