CHONDRTTS. 461 



the danger of being dried up? I do not think that the 

 latter can be very great. Even with a fairly strong wind 

 and strong and warm snnshine, the large individnals of 

 Ascophyllum nodosum of the higher regions can hardly be 

 said to become really dry, when exposed between tides. 

 The upper exposed side may not be very moist, but the 

 under side often remains quite wet. 



Nevertheless I think it will be found that moisture and 

 light are the two factors which have a hand in the shaping 

 of the forms of algse. My preliminary investigations, 

 carried out over a limited area, and during a short period 

 only, certainly point to this conclusion. 



One remarkable feature in the life of the marine algse 

 is the way in which the reproductive cells will germinate 

 apparently anywhere. The presence of a young algal 

 germling is no indication that the locality is quite 

 suitable for the adult plant. The reproductive cells are 

 very easily distributed, and apparently germinate very 

 readily almost anywhere, at least in a good many cases. 

 Thus it is that the flora of every locality is a very accurate 

 expression of what competition and local conditions have 

 allowed to flourish. As a rule everything that has a 

 chance in any locality will be found there. 



In this connection reference might be made to a few 

 plants which I have observed growing on Chondrus 

 crispus. These are nearly all epiphytes. The only 

 exception is Entocladia viridis, a green alga, which I 

 occasionally found growing apparently parasitically on 

 our plant, penetrating in between the assimilating cell 

 rows of the upright shoots. 



Some of the very numerous epiphytes met with 

 belonged to the following species ; Rhodymenia 

 palmata, Asperococcus compressus, Fastigiaria furcellata 

 and species of Melobesia, Cladophora, Enter omorpha, 



KK 



