74 THE HALL OF SHELLS. 



On the surface, foam and roar, 

 Restless heave and passion dash, 



Shingle rattle along the shore, 



Gathering boom and thundering crash. 



Under the surface loveliest forms, 

 Feathei'y fronds with crimson curl, 



Treasures too deep for the raid of storms — 

 Delicate coral and hidden pearl. 



These, the strands of a carpet soft, 



Richer than mortal ever trod ; 

 Freed by the current and borne aloft 



To show us the hidden work of God. 



She begged Dr. McLean to tell of these 

 delicate sea flowers. He began by saying : " The 

 term Algm, or seaweeds, is much more restricted 

 than formerly ; it used to embrace many ma- 

 rine specimens now consigned to the animal 

 kingdom. Many are the gay dissemblers in 

 the sea, and we can almost imagiue them laugh- 

 ing together at- their successes in so long de- 

 ceiving the very elect of scientists. 



" LinnsBus, a Swedish naturalist, with great 

 love for Nature and great skill in guessing her 

 riddles, was one of the first to see that many 

 so-called sea plants were sensitive to human 

 touch, and possessed the organs of animal life. 

 He catalogued fifty species which he regarded 

 as seaweeds ; we now know of several thou- 



