on, PLAIN 



And every tree and flower they kiss looks 



bright and green, 

 And living things drink of the crystal stream ; 

 And that which to the exalted gate of heaven 



hath been, 



Comes back again upon the ocean's breast 

 to gleam. 



And riding there, its bears upon its swelling 



form, 



The loves for which true hearts in silence 

 beat — 



For which fond eyes pierce outward through 

 the murky storm, 

 And longing arms fondly stretch forth to 

 greet. 



And thus I muse, TaSaene'er I gaze upon the sea, 

 Hoping my life as true unto its end may be ! 



Apart from these profitable 

 meditations, there are great de- 

 lights which the naturalist and 

 amateur may find in clambering 

 over frowning rocks, prying into 

 mysterious caves, creeping under 

 over-hanging ledges, exploring 

 crystal pools, and gleaning from 

 the hand of nature gems and 

 curiosities at every step. 



And we may find beautiful 

 similies of the grander works 

 of creation in the diversities of 

 the beach. That range of rocks 

 reminds us of the great moun- 

 tain chain of the Andes ; the 

 rugged extremity broken into 

 massive fragments, with narrow 

 channels of water between, is a 

 miniature Terra del Fuego. That 

 large pond bears a resemblance 

 to the Mediterranean Sea ; and 

 there are the islands of Sardinia, 

 Sicily, and Greece in pretty 

 nearly their actual relations ; 

 that little channel which leads 

 from a large body of water, re- 

 presents the Straits of Gibraltar; 

 and the level bank of sand, which 

 has been thrown up on one of 

 the boundaries of our little sea, 

 represents the Great Sahara. 



Let us examine some of the 

 alg<£, or sea weeds. These are 



teaching. 341 



plants of the cellular division, 

 1-543. They consist of aquatic 

 leafless, and flowerless vegetables, 

 presenting many curious varie- 

 ties of form and texture. Their 

 fruit consists of seeds, or sporules, 

 occasionally contained in tuber- 

 cles, on processes arising from 

 the frond. They are attached to 

 various substances, such as rocks, 

 stones, shells, wood, &c, but de- 

 rive nourishment chiefly from 

 the element in which they grow, 

 by a process which takes place 

 over the whole surface. 



Some species have processes 

 like roots by which they are 

 attached, while others are found 

 floating, their growth not re- 

 quiring them to be fixed to one 

 spot. 



Their general colour is olive 

 brown, or olive green ; but they 

 are sometimes of a rich crimson, 

 or iridescent green. Collections 

 of them dried upon paper are 

 easily formed, and are exceed- 

 ingly interesting.* 

 1 



1149. 



The common sargassum, 1, is 

 an interesting specimen, found 



* For th* method of preserving sea we«>da, ae*- « ii 

 qoire Within." 



