140 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



returning home to roost. They are very 

 shy birds, and can tell where there is dan- 

 ger a long way ofif. 



I had a Quease given to me by a gentle- 

 man. It was wounded slightly in one of its 

 wings and could not fly far. It fed raven- 

 ously on Indian corn, twice as much as any 

 of the other pigeons. I kept it for about 

 three weeks, but it died. I believe it was 

 through the damp : it always would roost 

 on the floor of the pen. 



Several years ago, in the autumn, I saw 

 several very long strings of wood pigeons 

 flying in a southerly direction ; very likely 

 they were migrating. 



I have kept domestic pigeons over eleven 

 years, tumblers principally. They lay all 

 the year round, at least, some pairs do, and 

 breed about half-a-dozen times during the 

 year. I have never succeeded in getting the 

 pigeons to bring up three young ones in one 

 nest, either one or the other of them would 

 be starved to death. I know a noted pigeon 

 fancier who allows the pigeons to sit on one 

 egg only. The young] one having sole 

 attention grows up a very much finer pigeon, 

 although in tumblers the smaller they are 

 the better. I once produced a very small 

 one, not so large as a thrush. It was very 

 destitute of feathers. I believe it fell down 

 a chimney, for I lost it suddenly. 



COMMON SEA WEEDS OF 

 THE BRITISH COASTS. 



By James McGrouther, Glasgow. 



Sea as well as land has its vegetation ; 

 its palms, its ferns and mosses ; and al- 

 though they are very different in structure 

 and appearance from those which enliven 

 our hills and plains, nevertheless, many 

 exotic species rival in length our tallest 

 trees. 



To those "Flowers of the Ocean" we 

 have unjustly given the appelation of Sea 

 Weeds— SQ2i, weeds indeed, rather flowers! 



Let any one examine them 

 fronds, their delicate thread-like branches 

 of beautiful and complicated structure, and 

 he will never again use the term without a 

 grudge. 



Although our weather-beaten coasts do 

 no not exhibit as many, and as beautiful 

 varieties as those of more genial climes, still 

 a little diligence will be amply rewarded by 

 the discovery of many exquisite specimens. 



It is true that many Algae are more useful 

 than ornamental, but these give employ- 

 ment to hundreds of poor people on the 

 coasts of Scotland and Ireland, who, when 

 a sufficient quantity has been collected, set 

 fire to them, and thus make what is known 

 by the name of Kelp — a substance largely 

 used in the manufacture of glass. 



Sea weeds, or Algae as they are scientifi- 

 cally called, are divided into three great 

 classes, Melanosperm.e, Rhodosperm^, 

 and CHLOROSPERMiE, or the olive-brown, 

 the red and the green. 



The first plant likely to attract your 

 attention is the Common Bladder Wrack 

 [Fucus vesiculostis), the most common of the 

 fiici. It, along with the other representa- 

 tives of tlie same family, covers in great 

 abundance the rocks which are exposed 

 when the tide retires. Another species, F. 

 nodosus, much the same in appearance, is 

 also very beautiful. 



As you approach low water mark, the 

 plants increase in size. Here the oar-weed, 

 or tangle {Laminana digitata), one of the 

 largest of our British species, abounds. It 

 consists of a very strong stem, the top of 

 which branches out like a palm, and affords 

 a safe retreat to many small Crustacea. 



Another plant of frequent occurrence is 

 the Chorda filum, commonly known as par- 

 ten strings." In appearance it may be 

 likened to a cord which gradually tapers 

 towards each end. Being naturally viscous, 

 and covered with very minute hairs, it is 

 exceedingly difficult to hold. 



I 



