OLIVE COLORED ALGJE. 103 



Afnphiroa. Mr. Cleveland, in bunches, on flat rocks 

 between tides, and washed ashore on the beach. 



Sub-order.— CHORDARIE^. 

 Genns.— CffORDA* Lam. 



Chorda filum, Stack. 



The thread-like cords, which are sometimes pop- 

 ularly called "Dead men's lines," and sometimes 

 " Mermaids' fish-lines," are plants very easily described 

 and very easily recognized. The firond of C filum is 

 a single undivided cord rising from a discoid hold-fast, 

 by which it is attached to some small pebble or shell 

 upon the sea bottom. At first, a mere thread, it in- 

 creases in size till it is as large as a pipe-stem, or 

 larger, then again tapers to a long, slender-pointed 

 termination. When young, it is covered all about 

 with short, fine, olive-colored hairs, which disappear in 

 age. It loves quiet waters and grows to the height of 

 ten, twenty, and even forty feet, according to favorable 

 conditions. It is quite tough and somewhat elastic 

 when recent. It is a favorite habitat of some of the 

 smaller Algae, like some species of the Ectocarpus, 



' * Chorda = A cord. 



