4 4 SEA- WEEDS — BLADDER-WRACK. 



dark olive vegetation meet our eyes ; if we wait 

 until the tide has retreated, and examine the 

 pools of water that are left among the rocks, 

 there we find miniature forests, and gardens of 

 gorgeous foliage, some of which are scarlet, others 

 pink, others bright green, others purple, while 

 some there are that play with all the prismatic 

 colours, each leaf a rainbow in itself. If we take 

 a boat, and rowing well out to sea, cast over- 

 board a hooked drag, we shall find adhering to 

 the iron claws new kinds of vegetation, and 

 probably among them will be found a veritable 

 flowering plant, — apparently as much out of its 

 place at the bottom of the sea as a codfish in 

 a birdcage. Now all this luxuriant, graceful, and 

 magnificent foliage, we dedecorate with the title 

 of sesi-weed. It is a miserable appellation ; but as 

 it is a term in general use, I shall employ it, 

 although under protest. 



Those sea-weeds, then, which first strike our 

 eyes, are usually those denominated Wracks, the 

 Common Bladder-wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) being 

 the most common. For a figure of this plant, see 

 plate J, fig G. 



There is little dif&culty in distinguishing this 

 conspicuous alga ; for the double series of round 

 air-vessels with which the fronds are studded, 



