DULSE. 25 



are generally about as large as one's hand, smooth and 

 glossy, of a dark crimson hue, but apt to run off into a 

 pale greenish tint towards the tips ; their edges have 

 often little leaves growing on them. This plant is the 

 Dulse or Dillis (Uhodymenia palmataj, which is 

 eaten by the poor of our northern shores as a luxury. 

 The soldiers of the regiment quartered here, many of 

 whom are Irish, may be frequently seen on the ledges, 

 searching for the leaves of this plant, which they 

 eagerly eat raw, to the entertainment of the children 

 who are sailing their little boats in the pools. 



This is a showy plant, very beautiful when its tufts 

 of large deep-red fronds are seen in the sea, where the 

 perpetual wash of the waves keeps their surface clean 

 and glossy, but not very suitable for an Aquarium. 

 Its leaves soon decay; spots of orange-colour begin 

 speedily to appear, which increase fast, and, uniting 

 into large patches, slough off in slimy shreds. The 

 appearance of an orange colour, on crimson or purple 

 weeds, is always a sign of the death of that part, and 

 is the infallible precursor of decay. As soon as it 

 appears, or at least if it begin to increase, the specimen 

 should be ejected without mercy; as the diffusion of 

 the gases from decaying vegetable matter is speedily 

 fatal to most animals. 



The " gulder " or secondary tide begins to come in, 

 and we can no longer work at so low a level. We 

 recede to the slopes of the ledges yet uncovered, and 

 find other species in the quiet sheltered pools. A weed 

 is found here growing in dense mossy patches on the 

 perpendicular and overshadowed edges of the rock, 

 which when examined looks like a multitude of tiny 



