200 SEA MOSSES. 



delicate red or pink color, and takes on a variety of 

 interesting forms, one of the most beautiful of which 

 is represented in Plate XL, Figure 2. The normal 

 form is that of a frond as thick as a bristle, forking 

 and branching as it rises, the branches being much 

 constricted at their insertion, and bending in grace- 

 ful curves towards their extremity. Sometimes the 

 main branches bend over in the long sweep of a 

 semi-circle, as in the plate, and the branchlets spring- 

 ing from the convex side of the arched branch, in 

 their turn bend in the same way, they again being 

 beset externally with arched ramuli. 



The normal variety differs from this only in having 

 the parts less bent. But the tapering of both branches 

 and ramuli, to base and apex, is characteristic of 

 every variety. It grows in deep water, four or five 

 fathoms down. It is common south of Cape Cod, 

 and is not found to the northward of that. I found 

 nearly all forms of it at Wood's Holl, in August, and 

 Miss Booth collects it at Peconic Bay, in that month. 

 The divaricate form makes an extremely beautiful 

 and graceful picture. It adheres well to paper in 

 drying 



