THE HALF-TIDE POOL. 67 



those swollen tips which, when opened, show a cluster 

 of pear-shaped spore-cases, each containing four spores 

 or tetraspores. 



If a bit of this coralline be steeped in weak muriatic 

 acid, the structure will be seen of vegetable cells in 

 stripes across the frond, and prove its position in the 

 family of seaweeds. If a bit be dried and held in the 

 flame of a candle, a beautiful white light is produced. 



These corallines are abundant on the coast of tropi- 

 cal countries : the shores of Australia have fan-like, 

 rose-coloured varieties, or triply -branched, or whorled, 

 like our Cham, but we have none so beautiful. 



JANIA. 



Generic character. — Has slender branches, forked 

 repeatedly, and intertwisted like a fine white moss. 

 The crust is of carbonate of lime, solid, without pores, 

 and the fruit is like that of Corallines, but in the axils 

 of the branches, and not at the tip. 



This is a very pretty weed, and useful in fancy 

 work, various in colour, either white, or pale green, 

 or a pretty pink. Very often cast up in loose masses 

 on the shingle after a storm, or fringing the stems of 

 larger seaweeds. 



MELOBESIA. 



This will attract attention, although it cannot be 

 gathered. To all appearance it is a scaly, stony sub- 

 stance, growing on rock or seaweed, very like a lichen 



E 2 



