32 THE MARINE BOTANIST. 



elegant forms^ make them well-deserved favourites 

 with all who have an artist's eye, and are admirers 

 of natm^e's works. Who would think ^' the rough, 

 rude sea" contained such soft and spring-like 

 leaves ! In outward appearance, the plants of 

 the next genus (Chorda), have little in common 

 with the others of this tribe ; but the fruc- 

 tification of Chorda filum agrees with that of the 

 Laminariaceae, and, accordingly, this genus has 

 been removed from Dictyotaceae, in which it 

 was formerly included : in old plants, the whole 

 frond becomes covered with spores, like the majority 

 of the Laminarian tribe. Chorda filum flou- 

 rishes most luxuriantly in deep water; and in the 

 still water of quiet bays it forms extensive, sub- 

 merged meadows, so dense as to be dangerous to 

 the unwary swimmer who may venture among its 

 slimy and tenacious cords. Such is the strength 

 of these cords, that the Highlanders are said to 

 employ them for fishing-lines, and give them the 

 name of ^^ Lucky Minny's Lines;" in England 

 they are known as '^ Sea -Traces," or '' Sea- 



