THE EUKOPEAN SEAS. 



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the thong-weed or Himantkalia lorea. Even when 

 the others are absent, the last is usually present. 

 Beneath all these, and extending to several fathoms 

 deep, are the great Laminaria or tangle-forests, or, 

 on sandy places, the waving meadows of Zostera or 

 grass-wrack. Everywhere among the tangles, in 

 the Celtic region, we find species of the periwin- 

 kle called Lacuna, and of the Limpet known as 

 Patella yjellucida, remarkable for its horny texture 

 and translucency, and for the radiating rows of 

 opaque spots of turquoise-blue decorating its sur- 

 face. Here, too, are innumerable little univalve 

 shells of the genus Rissoa, wonderfully varied in 

 sculpture, colouring, and outline. This is the chosen 

 haunt of the nudibranchiate mollusks, animals of 

 exceeding delicate texture, extraordinary shapes, ele- 

 gance of organs, and vividness of painting. Their 

 bodies exhibit hues of a brilliancy and intensity 

 such as can match the most gorgeous setting of a 

 painter's palette. Vermilion red, intense crimson, 

 pale rose, golden yellow, luscious orange, rich purple, 

 the deepest and the brightest blues, even vivid 

 greens, and densest blacks are common tints, sepa- 

 rate or combined, disposed in infinite varieties of 

 elegant patterns, in this singular tribe. Our hand- 

 somest fishes are congregated here, the wrasses 

 especially, some of which are truly gorgeous in 

 their painting. Here are gobies and more curious 

 blennies, swimming playfully among these submarine 

 groves. Strange worms crawl, serpent-like, about 



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