RUSSIAN OFFICIAL, ATTENDED BY A SOLDIER, 

 COLLECTING ALGM ON THE SHORES OF THE 

 NORTH PACIFIC. 



The annexed plate is taken from the frontispiece of the magnificent folio Tolume 

 by Messrs. Ruprecht and Postels, on the Algae of the North Pacific. This work, in 

 which even the largest of the marine plants of that region are represented of their 

 natural size, was published at the expense of the Russian Government, and copies 

 were presented to some of the principal libraries of Europe. 



In the middle distance, a Russian ofiicial belonging to one of the settlements 

 is seen gathering algao, attended by a soldier. 



In the front of the picture the water is supposed to be so clear as to show dis- 

 tinctly the growth of sea-weeds of various kinds, which clothe the submarine 

 rocks in that region. Some species of these have been added to the numbei 

 shown in the original composition. 



In the centre, with the light fully upon them, are streaming plants of a gigantic 

 Maria, whose fronds sometimes extend to a length of 40 feet. Immediately beneath 

 it, to the right, is the curiously perforated Agariwm Gmelini, the singular perfora- 

 tions of which are indicated by small white patches. 



To the right is the curious " flower-bearing" sea-weed known as the Sea Rose, 

 Constantinea Bosa manna, the flower-like growth of which, combined with the 

 pink colour of its seeming flowers, is very remarkable. 



In front, and rather to the right of the last, is a dark mass of the splendid 

 Iridaa Mertensiana, the dark velvety masses of which, of a deep crimson colour, 

 are often more than a foot across. 



To the right of the last, in the corner, is one of the most beautiful of the ulvse, 

 XJlva fenestrata, a. name which may be popularised as the " windowed " ulva, in 

 allusion to its extremely perforated character, the openings being of considerable 

 Bize, and often separated from each other , only by the slenderest divisions, thus 

 forming a kind of vegetable lace- work. 



