Directions for preserving Sea Plants. 1 53 



coast, at least in any place I have had an opportunity of visiting-. I 

 mention it merely to notice, that it gives a transparency to the paper 

 on which it is spread, as if the latter had been oiled at the points 

 of contact. 



Rhodomeniapalmata. — Dulse. Dillisch.— ^Easily spread, but trouble- 

 some, especially when large, to retain in a flat expanded state on ac- 

 count of its contracting very much as it dries. Dr Greville observes, 

 that " while rather young, the substance is very thin, slightly lubri- 

 cous, and adheres to paper in drying, but not when in fructification." 

 — Alg. Br. p. 93. Nothing can be more common than this species, 

 but I have never seen it so extremely abundant as near the Garron 

 Point, about three miles north of Cairnlough. It there seems to oc- 

 cupy the place which Fucus vesiculosus and F. nodosus do on other 

 parts of the coast, and these species which do occur there are quite 

 overgrown with it, as are also the stones and rocks. Large quantities 

 are gathered at this place, and being dried, it is sold at a penny per pound 

 to persons, who afterwards hawk it through the country towns for miles 

 around : I was told that when taken to Ballymena, about fifteen miles 

 from this locality, it is sold at 3d. or 4d. per pound. Dulse is brought 

 in abundance to Belfast from various quarters, and is sold by huxters. 

 Its usual price, as retailed by persons who come direct from the shore, 

 and sell it from door to door, is about 4d. per pound, but in the dried 

 state it is very light and bulky. There are few persons who are not 

 pleased with its taste and flavour. In general it is not swallowed, 

 but is chewed, sucked, and then discarded. 



Dr Greville states, that " both the Scots and Irish wash the plants 

 in fresh water, dry it in the sun, and rolling it up chew it like tobac- 

 co. But it is usually eaten fresh from the sea." — Alg. Br. p. 94. 

 In this part of the world I have never seen it brought for sale when 

 fresh, nor is it here ever washed in fresh water previously to drying, 

 which, indeed, I should apprehend, would deprive it of those qualities 

 for which it is prized, namely, its flavour and saltness. 



At Ballycastle, a small variety is found of a very rich claret-colour, 

 growing on rocks, which is more highly valued than the common 

 kind. It is called Craigan Dulse, the latter name, however, being 

 generally given to such as grow on rocks, and which is esteemed 

 more highly than that growing on tangle and other sea-weeds. One 

 favourite way of using dulse is, to cut it very small, and then eat it 

 strewn thick on a slice of bread and butter. 



Rhodomenia reniformis. — At Cairnlough Bay I found in June a 

 few but very beautiful specimens of this rare species, which adheres 



