14 



SEA-WEEDS — ^BLADDER-WRAOK. 



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 se2i-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 difl&culty in distinguishing this 

 conspicuous alga ; for the double series of round 

 air-veigsels with which the Ironds are studded, 



