26 SEA LETTUCE. 



oval bladders of red-wine, set end to end in chains. 

 This pretty sea-weed is called Ghylocladia articulata. 



Here also grows the stony Coralline, a plant bear- 

 ing some resemblance to that just named, in the 

 peculiar jointed form of its growth. Low-lying 

 pools are often incrusted with a coat of stony or 

 shelly substance of a dull purple hue, having an ap- 

 pearance closely like that of some lichens ; the crust 

 investing the surface of the rock, and adhering firmly 

 to it, in irregular patches which continually increase 

 from the circumference, in concentric zones. This 

 is the young state of the Gorallina officinalis, which, 

 by and by, shoots up into little bushes of many jointed 

 twigs, diverging on every hand, or hanging in tufts 

 over the edges of the rock-pools. Young collectors 

 are eager, I perceive, to seize such specimens as are 

 purely white ; but this condition is that of death ; in 

 life and health, the shoots are of the same pale purple 

 hue as the lichenous crust. This plant in both states, 

 (for plant it undoubtedly is, though principally com- 

 posed of lime, and of stone-like hardness) is suitable 

 for a tank ; as it survives and flourishes long ; and 

 your pieces of rock-work you may select from such 

 places as are covered with the purple crust. Both 

 the kind just named, and the more slender an(J hair- 

 like Jania, I find growing abundantly in the pools of 

 the flat ledges that lie on the south side of the pro- 

 montory called the Nothe. The latter is commonly 

 attached parasitically to some of the coarser sea-weeds. 



The most valuable plant of all for our purpose, is 

 the Sea Lettuce {Ulva latissima). Everyone is fami- 

 liar with its broad leaves of the most brilliant green. 



