FLOWERS OF THE SEA. Y5 



sand, though our knowledge of many of these 

 is quite limited. 



^'AlgcB have been regarded as belonging to 

 one of three classes, according to their color; 

 the Melanospermece embraced the olive brown 

 and black ; the JRhodospermecB were the purple 

 and the red ; while the Ohlorosp&i'mece were the 

 green. This arrangement has been discarded 

 and various others substituted, rela,ting more 

 particularly to the structure and development 

 of the Algce. These classifications, however, 

 are still very imperfect, and the nomenclature 

 of many groups is still undetermined. Wheth- 

 er man understands and gives them a name or 

 not, they grow in grace and beauty, perfectly 

 understood by their Creator and accomplishing 

 his will. 



" They draw their sustenance from the wa- 

 ter, being without roots, often fastening them- 

 selves by a kind of sucker to rocks, shells, and 

 sea bottoms. Not unfrequently their hold be- 

 comes loosened or their branches broken, so 

 we find them tossed by the waves upon the 

 strand or carried in tangles through the waters, 

 far from their native colonies. So great are 

 these masses as sometimes to hinder the pas- 

 sage of ships in their courses. Varieties of 

 kelp in vicinity of the Falkland Islands are 



